A Chinese man has been sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison for making liquor using rare and protected animals, news reports say.

The man, named Liang, opened a liquor production company in Guangzhou’s Zengcheng district, in south China’s Guangdong province, reports Guangzhou Daily. He used protected animals such as the tokay gecko and Varanus salvator lizard, among others, in creating alcoholic drinks since 2012, the district court reported.

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Police investigated Liang’s company in Jan. 24, 2015 and found 24 bottles of liquor that contained rare animals inside. Liang wasn’t arrested then, but only surrendered to police months after the investigation.

In his defense, Liang said the bottles of liquor belonged to his sister who died in 2014. He also denied selling rare and protected animals. The court, however, rejected his explanations for lack of sufficient proof.

Liang was sentenced to stay for 10 years and six months in prison, and pay a fine of 50,000 yuan (USD $7,690) for the crime.

Criminal laws

While it’s an old traditional practice for the Chinese people, most especially those residing in rural communities, to use plants or animal parts in making distilled liquor to attain believed medical benefits, China’s criminal laws prohibit the illegal hunting, killing and selling of rare animals that are protected by the national government.

Back in 2014, China’s national government has listed 420 species that were considered rare or endangered, including the giant panda, pangolin, and golden monkey, Reuters reported. During that time it was stated that those who are guilty of eating or consuming protected animals might be jailed for 10 years or more.

Now, despite tussles in amendments to the Wildlife Conservation act of 1998, the government has declared that eating, selling or producing products made from rare animals is still a criminal act, reports the China News Agency.

Tagsliquor, monitor lizard, tokay gecko, crow pheasant, rare animals, protected animals