Pham Thi Thuan, 58, had received two years and a fine of VND60 million ($2,560) at a trial last December, but prosecutors said the punishment was too lenient and sought a more stringent sentence.

The appeal court obliged.

In August 2018 police officers had raided Thuan’s house and found 13 endangered king cobras, nearly 300 turtles and many other rare species for which she failed to provide any documents.

Vietnam is a global hotspot for trafficking, with wild animal products both consumed in the domestic market and exported at an increasing rate. It is estimated that 3,500-4,000 tons of wild meat are consumed in the country each year, the Wildlife Conservation Society, an NGO, said.

It is illegal to hunt, kill, possess, capture, transport, or trade protected animals, and violators can get up to 15 years in prison in Vietnam.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc instructed the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in March to draft a directive to completely ban wildlife trade.

Conservation organizations have urged the government to identify and close markets and other locations where illegal wildlife is on sale to prevent Covid-19.

Experts estimate 70 percent of dangerous humans diseases originate in wildlife animals.