17 sentenced to imprisonment for wildlife products trade in China
Xinhua
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Seventeen people were given prison terms for trafficking wildlife products in Central China's Hunan Province, local authorities said Wednesday.

Several red-crowned cranes are pictured at a breeding center for crane species in Panjin, Northeast China's Liaoning Province, May 9, 2019. (Xinhua/Pan Yulong)

The local court in the city of Ningxiang on Tuesday sentenced five defendants to more than 10 years' imprisonment while 12 were given sentences ranging from five months' criminal detention to up to eight and half years in jail.

They were convicted for illegally trading in products made out of rare and endangered wildlife. The Ningxiang public security bureau for forestry seized more than 40 items including ivory and rhino and antelope horns from the homes of members of the ring and some other places.

According to preliminary investigation, Chen, Wei and Ren were involved in trading 352 antelope horns weighing about 50 kg in 2019. In December 2019, local police seized another 394 antelope horns in the warehouse belonging to Chen when it arrested his accomplices.

China's top legislature has completely banned illegal trade in wildlife and consumption of wild animals.