Vietnam seizes tonnes of ivory, pangolin hide
Hanoi (dpa) - Customs officers in central Vietnam seized a tonne of ivory and four tonnes of the scaly hide of the pangolin, authorities said Friday.
Officials found the contraband on Tuesday inside a shipping container labeled as carrying red beans from Malaysia that arrived at the central port city of Da Nang on August 10.
"This is the largest amount of ivory and pangolin smuggling we have discovered in Da Nang," Dang Van Toan, the port's head of customs, told dpa.
The pangolin is an endangered type of armoured anteater found in parts of Asia and Africa. The flesh is sold as an exclusive but illegal meat, and the hide is used for traditional medicine and fashion.
The weight of the hides found this week corresponds to around 4,000individuals, Le Xuan Canh, former head of the Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, told dpa.
Tuesday's haul brings to nearly eight tonnes the total of tusks, horns and hide from endangered species impounded over the past two weeks in Da Nang.
Last Friday the port's customs officers seized more than two tonnes of elephant tusks. Eight days earlier they confiscated nearly a tonne of elephant tusks and rhinoceros horns, authorities said.
The three shipments were posted to two local companies, which have denied any knowledge of the smuggling, said Pham Van Thieng, deputy head of the central region's anti-smuggling team.
Trafficking of endangered species and their parts violates international law. Like elephant ivory and rhino horn, pangolin is considered a sign of status among some of Vietnam's wealthy elite.
