Wildlife smuggling charges against Cambodian officials have caused only a “delay” in macaque shipments, a U.S. importer said, as the Agriculture Ministry offered no clarity on whether it was taking any additional precautions as the trade resumes.
The Agriculture Ministry backed two of its employees who have been charged with smuggling long-tailed macaques — and one of whom was arrested in the U.S. on Wednesday — and said it would make the “utmost efforts” to absolve them.
Emails and bank transfer details collected by U.S. investigators allege the Forestry Administration director used ministry staff to capture thousands of wild monkeys for illegal export — and that they waited until after the 2018 election to avoid scrutiny — while also requesting a large donation to the ruling CPP.
An Agriculture Ministry official was arrested in New York — and the Forestry Administration’s director is also wanted — for a U.S. felony indictment over smuggling long-tailed macaques.
Thirty-six Chinese nationals and two Cambodians have been placed in Covid-19 quarantine after a more than 2,500-km journey over six days by sea from China to Koh Rong Sanloem, where they were arrested for alleged illegal entry to the country, authorities said.
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