Vietnam seizes smuggled ivory hidden in timber

HANOI, Vietnam – Vietnamese authorities have seized nearly a ton of ivory smuggled from Africa after locating nearly five tons in five previous shipments to the same port in the past two months.

Ho Chi Minh City’s deputy customs chief, Le Dinh Loi, said the ivory seized Monday and Tuesday was hidden inside timber in two containers that arrived at Cat Lai port and was en route to neighbouring Cambodia.

The smugglers packed the ivory with wax and sealed it inside emptied-out timber, he said Wednesday.

The seizures came less than two weeks after officials from more than 40 countries met at an international conference on illegal wildlife trade in Hanoi, Vietnam’s capital.

Vietnam is one of the world’s major transit points and consumers of ivory and rhino horn.