Vietnam seizes 600 kg of ivory smuggled from Africa

[February 06, 2023]  HANOI (Reuters) - Vietnamese authorities have over the past week seized more than 600 kilograms of ivory smuggled from Africa, the government said on Monday. 

Seized elephant ivory and rhino horns are destroyed by Vietnamese authorities in Hanoi November 12, 2016. Picture taken November 12, 2016. REUTERS/Nguyen Thanh Cao/File Photo

Trade in ivory is illegal in Vietnam but wildlife trafficking remains widespread. Other items often found smuggled into the country include pangolin scales, rhino horns and tiger carcasses.

Customs authorities in the northern port city of Haiphong on Monday found nearly 130 kilograms of ivory hidden in a container of cow horns originated from Africa, the government said in a statement.

This followed the finding of nearly 500 kilograms of African ivory on Thursday last week at Lach Huyen Port in the city, the government said.

This has been the largest seizure of smuggled ivory in the country in more than four years. The authorities had in October 2018 seized more than eight tonnes of ivory and pangolin scales in one of the country's largest wildlife trafficking cases for years.

(Reporting by Khanh Vu; Editing by Arun Koyyur)

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