Police in the northern coastal city of Haiphong seize 490 kilos of ivory illegally imported from Africa at Lach Huyen Port on February 2.
The ivory was hidden in a container owned by HMD Technicality Technology Joint Stock Company. The container was transported on the XinWenZhou 147E ship which arrived at Lach Huyen Port on January 22.
HMD had declared that the container contained cow horn which had been cleaned and dried. They imported the goods from Nigeria to make handicraft products. This kind of good is allowed to be imported following the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
However, through checking, customs officers and police at the port then found 117 pieces of ivory weighing 490 kilos hidden among the cow horns inside the container. Vietnam has an ivory trading ban.
Police are further investigating the case.