Thailand seizes over 3.1 tonnes of ivory hidden in timber from Zambia
Customs officers examining two containers at Laem Chabang Port found ivory and wildlife remains hidden in hollowed timber sealed with wax.
- Thai authorities seized over 3.1 tonnes of ivory at Laem Chabang Port from a shipment that originated in Zambia.
- The ivory was found concealed inside 32 hollowed-out planks of sawn timber that were sealed with wax.
- The seized items, which also included other wildlife remains, have a combined estimated value of over THB155 million.
- The successful interception was the result of intelligence sharing and cooperation between Thai agencies and international organizations like the UNODC and WJC.
Customs Department director-general Panthong Loykulnunt joined Police Captain Piya Raksakul, director-general of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), Prateep Hermpayay, deputy director-general of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, and representatives of other relevant agencies at a press conference on Monday (October 26, 2026) to announce a major interception at Laem Chabang Port involving a network smuggling ivory into Thailand.
Customs officers seized more than 3.1 tonnes of ivory, along with wildlife remains, after finding them concealed inside modified sawn timber imported from Zambia.
The seized items had a combined value of over THB155 million.
Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) testing and further investigations into those involved were planned.
A commitment was reaffirmed to preventing international trade from threatening wild animal and plant species or driving them to extinction, and to stopping Thailand from being used as a route for international wildlife trafficking.
The Customs Department has strengthened cooperation with relevant law enforcement agencies, tightening inspections of imports and exports at risk of being used to smuggle wildlife, plants and products subject to controls.
The aim is to strengthen controls over the import, export and movement of illegal goods.
This is a key responsibility in protecting society and natural resources, while supporting Thailand’s compliance with its obligations under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) to prevent the country from being used as a route for international wildlife trafficking.
Intelligence sharing and joint operations with international agencies led customs officers to detain two suspicious shipping containers carrying goods imported from Zambia at Laem Chabang Port.
The cargo was declared as 568 planks of sawn musivi timber, with a volume of 48 cubic metres and a total net weight of 56,000kg.
Inspection revealed that 32 planks had been hollowed out and sealed with greyish-white wax to conceal ivory and wildlife remains.
The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation was contacted to conduct a joint inspection and carefully collect evidence.
The seized items comprised 469 tusks and tusk sections weighing 3,042.67kg and 1,038 ivory fragments weighing 66.20kg, bringing the total ivory weight to 3,108.87kg, or more than 3.1 tonnes.
Also seized were 335 tail hairs weighing 0.18kg and one wildlife carcass.
The combined value of the seized items was approximately THB155 million.
The conduct constitutes offences under the Customs Act 2017, the Elephant Ivory Act 2015 and the Wild Animal Conservation and Protection Act 2019, as well as relevant ministerial regulations and other laws governing the import of wildlife, wildlife carcasses and products derived from carcasses.
Obligations under CITES were also cited.
Following the seizure, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation undertook DNA testing of the seized items to provide evidence for legal proceedings and further investigations under the relevant laws.
Arrangements have also been made for the Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression Division and the DSI to conduct investigations, gather evidence and pursue further inquiries into those responsible and others involved.
Panthong added that the successful seizure resulted from cooperation and intelligence sharing between agencies in Thailand and overseas.
He thanked the DSI, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, and the Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression Division.
He also thanked the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC) for providing intelligence useful to the inspection, along with personnel from all participating agencies whose work enabled the seizure.
The Customs Department will continue working with all sectors on law enforcement, further investigations and the development of monitoring systems for high-risk cargo to prevent international trade from threatening wild animal and plant species or driving them to extinction.
It remains committed to protecting natural resources and biodiversity in line with the objectives of CITES.
