The an Giang police's environmental crime investigation unit said on June 1 that five suspects had been taken into custody on allegations of violating regulations on the protection of endangered, rare and precious wildlife.
The suspects, all residents of Phu Quoc Special Zone, are accused of hunting, butchering and selling Indochinese silvered langurs, a protected species classified under Group IB, the highest level of wildlife protection under Vietnamese law.
Authorities said two of the suspects were caught on May 29 while allegedly butchering an Indochinese silvered langur.
Subsequent searches of their properties uncovered the remains of eight more langurs that had been skinned and dismembered. Investigators also seized a lead-pellet gun believed to have been used in the hunting activities.
Three additional suspects later surrendered and handed over another lead-pellet gun, knives and other hunting equipment, police said.
In total, authorities seized the remains of nine Indochinese silvered langurs along with related evidence for further investigation.
The Indochinese silvered langur is an endangered primate species facing a high risk of extinction and is subject to strict protection under Vietnamese law.
The case remains under investigation.