Vietnam seizes 1.1 tonnes of ivory smuggled from Africa

Gia Lai Provincial Police announced on Wednesday that the shipment had been transported from the Republic of the Congo and hidden inside three timber containers awaiting customs clearance at Quy Nhon Port.

Investigators have launched criminal proceedings for alleged violations of regulations on the protection of endangered, precious, and rare animals and detained several suspects for further investigation.

The shipment was imported under the name of Thanh Cong Trading Services and Translation Joint Stock Company.

Three containers, originating from the Republic of the Congo, contained 165 wooden crates with a total volume of 64.53 cubic meters.

During an inspection, authorities used specialized scanning equipment and physical checks to examine the shipment.

They discovered that 12 crates in two of the containers had been modified with hidden compartments used to conceal animal bones and suspected ivory.

The traffickers had sealed the contraband inside the compartments with wax and reinforced them with wood to make the crates appear ordinary, making the illegal goods difficult to detect through routine inspections, according to police.

Authorities seized 221 pieces of suspected ivory weighing nearly 1.2 metric tons, along with 79.3 kilograms of animal bones, and sent samples for examination.

Tests later confirmed that the seized items were ivory from the Elephantidae family.

Police are expanding the investigation to trace the trafficking route and identify all individuals involved in the smuggling operation.