The Lam Dong Province People’s Procuracy has charged Phan Thi Hoa, director of
the Nam Qua Eco-Tourism Co., Ltd., and two other with selling ivories of a dead
elephant.

Hoa, 52, from Lam Dong is now banned from leaving her
residence, while Phan Dac Mau Dai, 33, also from Lam Dong and Nguyen Ngoc
Thuan, 36, from Dong
Nai Province,
will be detained for 2 months for investigation.

The three were charged with violating regulations on
protecting rare, precious and endangered animals.

According to the Lam Dong police, Hoa bought the elephant,
named Beckham, from Dak
Lak Province
in 2005 for exhibition purposes at the Nam Qua Tourism Area.

On April 24, the elephant, a 38-year-old male, was found
dead in a forest 3 km away from the tourist site.

Its body was tied to a tree and its rear legs’ ligaments
were cut off. Hoa and her accomplices later took away the elephant’s ivories
and destroyed the body.

Dai directly conducted the cremation of Beckham with
firewood and petrol. Before his arrest, he said both the ivories and tail of
the elephant were destroyed in the incineration, the police said.

However, investigators later found the ivories, weighing 26
kg, were hidden in Dai’s house.

The police are investigating the elephant’s death.

Source: Tuoi Tre/NLD