Tokayev says poachers should be severely punished for killing saigas

AKIPRESS.COM - President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev told on Twitter those killing saigas must be severely punished, Sputnik Kazakhstan reports.
"The poachers continue hunting for saigas, the heritage of our country. Employees of the National Security Committe in Almaty region detained a criminal group that killed at least 3 saigas. The poachers should bear a tough punishment in line with the law. The law enforcement bodies should cease the illegal business," the President said.
Some 18 participants of the organized crime group were recently detained on the territory of some Kazakh regions. They were killing saigas. During the search, one ton of saiga horns were seized. This is about 3,000 killed saigas. The criminals attempted to smuggle them to China.
According to specialists, damage from illegal business cost 5.6 billion tenge.
Saiga horns are valuable element in the Chinese medicine.