Three men jailed in Indonesia for trading in pangolin scales
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Pangolin scales are highly valued in traditional Chinese medicine for their supposed health benefits.
PHOTO: THE JAKARTA POST/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
- Three men in Indonesia were sentenced to one year in prison for trading pangolin scales, a protected animal part, with fines waived by the judge.
- The men received pangolin scales through a loan and planned to sell them after being contacted by a buyer still at large.
- Pangolins are critically endangered and protected under international law due to high demand for their scales and meat in traditional medicine and food markets.
AI generated
MEDAN – The Medan District Court on Sept 2 handed down a prison term of one year to each of three men who were convicted of trading the body parts of a protected animal; in their case, pangolin scales.
The sentence was lighter than demanded by the prosecutor, who recommended a year and a half in prison and a fine of 50 million rupiah (S$3,590) each, or an additional 50 days behind bars if they could not pay the fine.
