Vietnamese authorities have announced the seizure of more than a ton of ivory illegally shipped from Africa. The discovery was made at Quy Nhơn port in the central province of Gia Lai.
The haul, weighing 1,193 kilograms (2,630 pounds), consisted of 221 pieces of elephant ivory. It was found hidden within sawn timber that was part of a shipment of three containers which arrived on July 9. The illegal cargo also included 79.3 kilograms (175 pounds) of animal bones, believed to be from big cats such as tigers, which are often used in traditional Chinese medicine.
The shipment originated from the Republic of the Congo, according to Gia Lai Provincial Police. A criminal investigation has been launched for violating regulations concerning protected animals.
Vietnam is a known hub for the illegal wildlife trade, with contraband often transshipped to China. Demand for such products also exists within Vietnam and other Southeast Asian countries.
While this seizure is described as the largest ever at Quy Nhơn port, larger shipments exceeding seven tons each have been intercepted in recent years at the port city of Danang and the northern port of Haiphong.
The international trade of ivory from elephants and other endangered species is largely prohibited under CITES, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, a treaty to which most UN member countries are signatories.