One of the fun things about traveling is finding unexpected pleasant surprises. However, if you're in Laos on a bus tour to visit temples and stop for a coffee, you may be in for a very unpleasant surprise.
In this scenario, the bus pulls up to a "cafe" where a guard mutters, "No coffee, no coffee." Suddenly, you're not stopping for a cup of joe, but instead visiting an illegal showroom.
Mongabay reported that underground shops in Luang Prabang and Vientiane are selling contraband such as rhino horn, ivory carvings, bear bile, pangolin scales, and tiger bones to tour groups often made up of elderly Chinese travelers.
Many storefronts will post men in military uniforms. A wildlife trade specialist told the outlet, "It's very alarming and out of control."
What's happening?
A joint investigation by Mongabay and the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC) found more than 20 shops "selling illegal wildlife products at scale."
Guides usher visitors inside, and staff launch into polished sales stories meant to make buying banned goods sound fine.
One pitch went so far as to say elephants get tipsy on fermented fruit before workers trim their tusks — which, the seller added, were later blessed in a pagoda. Another staffer touted bear bile as a cure for everything from internal injuries to liver problems.
According to the investigation, around 11,000 Chinese tourists on package tours pass through these doors each year, with tour operators pocketing a share.
Investigators also found rhino horn pills, carved ivory, pangolin scales, and offers to ship purchases straight into China.
Why is this concerning?
These sales not only drain tourists' wallets but also feed organized crime and threaten endangered species.
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While this could lead to the loss of important creatures for good, removing vital animals from ecosystems can also have profound negative knock-on effects on biodiversity and the food chain.
Past watchdog investigations revealed traffickers exploiting coronavirus fears to market illegal wildlife and fake cures.
A separate regional report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development tied the illegal animal trade to wider risks for economies, governance, and ecosystems across Southeast Asia.
What's being done?
Laotian officials say they are increasing inspections and tightening checks on the China-Laos railway, which saw Chinese tourist numbers rise from about 45,000 in 2022 to over one million in 2024.
Similar enforcement efforts have taken place in Malaysia, Indonesia, Mexico, and the United States.
Travelers can play a role, too, by refusing to buy animal products and reporting suspicious activity when they encounter it.
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