Recently, police have impounded four Mai Linh taxis after finding them illegally transporting wild and rare animals in four incidents, all in Thanh Hoa province.

The first case involves the cab with license plate BKS 30Z-7978 driven by Nguyen Thanh Truong, 42, that transported four Sunda pangolins weighing a total of 22 kg.

Authorities detained another Mai Linh taxi with license plate BKS 37S-0553 driven by Hoang Van Xy, 31 transporting two Sunda pangolins weighing 7.5kg, 41 Ptyas Mucosus snakes weighing a total of 48kg, and 86 cobras weighing 97kg.

The next case involves Mai Linh taxi with plate number BKS 36N-1830, driven by Le Manh Hung, 34. It was found transporting 90 Sturnus birds, 140 Turdus merula birds, and 335 Common Mynah birds.

The fourth taxi, also of Mai Linh company, bears plate number BKS 36N-3622 driven by Nguyen Huu Thanh, 32. It carried 37 cobras weighing 40kg.

In all four instances, the drivers failed to produce any papers for the animals.

Concerned authorities have issued fines totaling VND480 million (US$24,000) in the four cases. The four taxis are being impounded pending investigation.

Last month, police in Ha Tinh province found four tiger cubs - all alive - weighing 22.15 kilos in total and 119 pangolins totaling around 424 kilos with no clear origin hidden in a car.

The discovery was made at 1:00 am on September 1 on a section of National Highway 8A that runs through Duc Lam commune, Duc Tho district.