ENT News in March 2026 – From the “Diamond Tycoon” Case in South Africa: How Would Vietnamese Law Address the Trade of Wildlife Parts?

Dear Valued Clients,

In recent days, Vietnamese public opinion has been stirred by reports that Mr. Chu Dang Khoa, commonly known by the nickname “diamond tycoon,” has been arrested and brought to trial in South Africa on allegations related to the trading of rhino horns. Although the case is being handled under the laws of the host country, the incident raises a broader question: if the trading or possession of parts of wild animals were to occur in Vietnam, how would the law address such conduct?

In a recent discussion with VTV Online, Mr. Tran Si Vy, Managing Partner of ENT Law, shared legal insights into how the Vietnamese legal system approaches acts related to the trading of wildlife.

Accordingly, Vietnamese law adopts a very strict approach aimed at preventing illegal hunting and trading activities from the outset. The quantitative threshold for criminal liability concerning parts of rare and endangered animals is relatively low: possessing or trading from 50 grams to under 1 kilogram of rhino horn may already result in a penalty ranging from 1 to 5 years’ imprisonment or a fine of up to VND 4 billion.

Similarly, with respect to tiger bones, Vietnamese law considers them to be parts inseparable from the life of the animal. Therefore, the trading or possession of tiger bones may also be subject to similarly severe penalties as those applied to rhino horns.

According to Mr. Vy, the establishment of a low enforcement threshold reflects the preventive approach of Vietnamese law, creating a strong legal barrier to disrupt the supply chain of the wildlife trade from the very beginning

For further details, please refer to the VTV Online article at:
https://vtv.vn/tu-vu-chu-dang-khoa-bi-bat-buon-ban-dong-vat-hoang-da-bi-xu-ly-the-nao-10026031419232826.html