The police officially activated the new hotline on June 4th, and according to Colonel Luong Minh Thao, the Deputy Director of the Department of Crime Police, there is a great need for a place where the public can report illegal activities.
“Like other Southeast Asian nations, Vietnam is facing rampant violations of the environment and illegal wildlife trade that have pushed a number of species into a danger of extinction,” he said.
The hotline, co-sponsored by the Danish embassy in Hanoi and the TRAFFIC- a wildlife trade monitoring network, is expected to become an effective tool to fight against environmental pollution and wildlife poaching and trafficking.
To join in raising public awareness about the need to protect wildlife species, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) has helped hold training courses on anti-wildlife trade skills for staffs from the Noi Bai international airport.
The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has helped install a huge poster in both English and Vietnamese en route from Hanoi to the Noi Bai international airport, encouraging public involvement in the fight against wildlife trade.
The toll-free hotline can be reached on 1800 588 875.
