Police close markets, restaurants in anti-poaching sweep

Police in Southeast China closed several markets and restaurants that offered wild animals for sale on Nov 27, as efforts continue to tackle illegal poaching, the China News website reported.

The closures came after CCTV reporters discovered that some restaurants in Zixi county, Jiangxi province, had State-protected animals on their menus, including macaques, badger pigs, rhizomys and wild geese.

Agents from the public security bureau, plus forest rangers and officials from the forestry, industry and commerce, and food and drug regulatory departments of the county government conducted the investigation and shut down three markets that were trading wild animals and confiscated the animals. Police seized 47 wild boars, 22 muntjaks, two rhizomys, two hares and four snakes, according to the report.

At the same time, they closed two restaurants, interrogated the owners and detained four suspected poachers.

In addition, police carried out a special action to seize illegal hunting devices, leading to the confiscation of two soil pistols and more than 100 iron traps.

Two hotlines have been opened for people to report the hunting and trading of wild animals, with 500 yuan ($80) to 2,000 yuan offered for information.

The State Forestry Bureau has sent a team to Zixi for inspection and supervision, China News reported.