Authorities in Vietnam discover more than a ton of concealed ivory illegally shipped from Africa

Vietnamese authorities made a significant seizure of illegally smuggled ivory originating from Africa, according to reports on Thursday. The shipment contained 221 pieces of elephant ivory, weighing a total of 1,193 kilograms, which was displayed to the media at Quy Nhơn port in the central province of Gia Lai, according to the Vietnam News Agency and other outlets.

Vietnam serves as a major hub for illicit wildlife trade, with much of the contraband destined for China, but also finding demand within Vietnam and other Southeast Asian nations. Inspections conducted last week revealed that the ivory was concealed within sawn timber, part of a consignment comprising three containers that arrived on July 9.

The illegal cargo also included 79.3 kilograms of animal bones believed to have come from big cats like tigers, which are used in traditional Chinese medicine. According to the Tuoi Tre newspaper, the shipment originated from the Republic of the Congo and following its discovery during customs clearance, a criminal investigation was initiated for violating regulations concerning protected animals.

While the seized ivory represents the largest haul at Quy Nhơn, it pales in comparison to other sizable seizures in recent years, including shipments of over seven tons in central Danang and the northern port of Haiphong. This report was generated from an automated news agency feed without any alterations to the text.