{
  "id": 801006,
  "title": "Authorities in Vietnam discover more than a ton of concealed ivory illegally shipped from Africa",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/13/authorities-in-vietnam-discover-more-than-a-ton-of-concealed-ivory-801006",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-13T19:23:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Associated Press",
    "slug": "associated-press",
    "url": "https://apnews.com/article/ivory-congo-smuggling-cites-vietnam-wildlife-da017136e61835609d5a1b4fc1344a1b"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Vietnamese authorities have made a significant seizure of illegally trafficked ivory, originating from Africa, according to reports on August 13, 2026. The shipment contained 1,193 kilograms (2,630 pounds) of elephant ivory, comprising 221 separate pieces, according to the Vietnam News Agency. The discovery was made at Quy Nhơn port in Gia Lai province, where the contraband was displayed to the media on Wednesday.\n\nVietnam is a key hub for the illegal wildlife trade, both live and dead specimens, with much of the contraband ultimately ending up in China. However, there is also domestic demand as well as demand from other Southeast Asian nations. The illegal cargo was discovered hidden within sawn timber that had arrived in a shipment of three containers on July 9. Among the seized items were 79.3 kilograms (175 pounds) of animal bones, originating from big cats, such as tigers, which are used in traditional Chinese medicine.\n\nAccording to the Tuoi Tre newspaper, the Gia Lai Provincial Police stated that the shipment originated from the Republic of the Congo. Following the discovery during customs clearance, a criminal investigation was launched for violating regulations regarding protected animals. While this seizure was reported to be the largest ever at Quy Nhơn port, it pales in comparison to other significant ivory hauls in the past decade, with seizures of over seven tons each occurring in Danang and Haiphong in the central and northern port cities, respectively.",
  "summary": "HANOI (AP) — Authorities in Vietnam have announced a major seizure of ivory they say was illegally shipped from Africa, Vietnamese media reported Thursday. The haul of 221 pieces of…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}