Department of Forestry Receives Confiscated Wildlife Specimens Following Final Court Judgment

Luang Namtha Province, Lao PDR, 19 June 2026 — The Department of Forestry (DOF), in its capacity as the CITES Management Authority of Lao PDR, officially received confiscated wildlife specimens following the completion of criminal proceedings and the issuance of a final court judgment.

The handover ceremony was held at the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Luang Namtha Province and marked the formal transfer of wildlife case exhibits from the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Inspection (DNEI) to the Department of Forestry for long-term custody and management in accordance with national legislation and the requirements of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

The confiscated exhibits consisted of wildlife carcasses and animal parts that had been detected, seized and processed through the criminal justice system by forestry officers, the Lao Wildlife Enforcement Network (Lao-WEN) and the Provincial Wildlife Enforcement Network (P-WEN). The exhibits included pangolin scales, tiger bones and a leopard carcass, all of which had been retained as evidence throughout the investigation and court proceedings.

The successful completion of the case and the subsequent transfer of the confiscated specimens demonstrate Lao PDR’s continued commitment to strengthening wildlife law enforcement and ensuring that wildlife trafficking offences are fully investigated, prosecuted and adjudicated in accordance with the law. The case also reflects the close cooperation among enforcement agencies, prosecutors and the judiciary in combating transnational wildlife crime.

Following the court’s final judgment, the confiscated wildlife specimens were formally transferred to the Department of Forestry, as the national CITES Management Authority, for secure storage, inventory management and disposal or retention in accordance with national regulations and CITES requirements governing the management of confiscated wildlife specimens.

The Department of Forestry remains committed to working closely with the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Inspection, Lao-WEN, provincial authorities and other law enforcement agencies to strengthen the implementation of CITES, enhance the management of confiscated wildlife specimens, and support national and international efforts to combat illegal wildlife trade and conserve biodiversity.