More than 400 kilogrammes of ivory seized in Vietnam
Hanoi - Vietnamese officials seized 446 kilogrammes of ivory hidden in a hollowed-out block of timber from Nigeria, a customs official said Wednesday.
"This is the fourth case we have found within a month in Cat Laiport," Le Dinh Loi, deputy director of the Ho Chi Minh Customs Department said, adding that the discovery brought the total amount of ivory seized to 4 tonnes.
The illicit trade in ivory from Africa to Asia has grown recently, with rising prosperity creating demand in Vietnam and China.
Ivory can be sold within Vietnam for between 770 dollars to 1,200dollars per kilogramme.
In 2009, nearly 7 tonnes of ivory were seized in Hai Phong City, in Vietnam's largest recorded bust to date.
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