59 tusks seized in Vietnam
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Customs officers in Vietnam seized dozens of illegally-transported elephant tusks weighing more than 40 kilograms, authorities said yesterday.
Fifty-nine tusks, valued at over US$114,000, were discovered on Sunday at Ho Chi Minh International Airport in a batch of goods declared as cashew nuts, according to customs officials. The package was sent from Africa, but officials did not specify which country.
So far this year, authorities have reported six cases of smuggled ivory and seized more than 300kg of tusks worth over $800,000.
According to the World Wide Fund for Nature, most ivory smuggled into Vietnam is destined for China, but some is sold locally for $770 to $1,200 per kilo.
International trade in ivory has been banned since 1989 with the exception of occasional auctions from stockpiles.
