Myanmar eyes closure of wildlife trade hub on Chinese border

Myanmar authorities plan to shut down a notorious border town where exotic animal parts are sold openly, an official said Tuesday, as Southeast Asia struggles to stem a billion-dollar wildlife trade fuelled by Chinese demand. Mong La, a lawless border town located in rebel-held territory in Myanmar's Shan state, is a market for endangered species and products -- such as elephant tusks and tiger wine -- which are freely traded, largely to Chinese tourists. It is part of the "golden triangle," a hotbed of illegal activity, including drug, wildlife and people trafficking, that straddles Myanmar, Laos and Thailand.

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