4 People Charged In Michigan Bear Parts Probe

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) - Four people have been charged in an investigation of the illegal sale of bear parts.

They include an Upper Peninsula man, Hieu Van Hoang, who's already in hot water. He's in the Chippewa County jail, charged with trying to kill his wife.

The others live in the Grand Rapids area. In all, 11 misdemeanor charges have been filed in Kent and Chippewa counties. Each carries a maximum penalty of $1,000 and 90 days in jail.

Lt. Jason Haines of the Department of Natural Resources said Tuesday there's a market in Asia for bear parts, which are used for medicinal purposes. The DNR says it received information from confidential informants.

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