Undercover in Laos: how Chinese tourism fuels animal trafficking – video

The surge in Chinese tourism to Laos has inadvertently fueled a booming illegal wildlife trade, with high-demand items like pangolin scales, rhino horn, and elephant ivory being openly sold in secret shops and restaurants. As a new high-speed rail line increases visitor numbers, criminal networks are exploiting this influx to push critically endangered species like the pangolin closer to extinction. The Guardian's undercover investigation, in collaboration with Chinese activists, sheds light on these networks and the dire consequences of this trade, highlighting a critical environmental and ethical issue tied to international travel.