Gia Lai Provincial Police Department said on August 12 that they had launched a criminal investigation into alleged violations of regulations protecting endangered, precious and rare wildlife at Quy Nhon Port.
On August 6, police inspected a shipment imported under the name of Thanh Cong Commercial Services and Translation JSC.
Gia Lai Province authorities find nearly 1.2 tonnes of elephant ivory in three timber containers at Quy Nhon Port (Photo: Gia Lai Province Police).
The shipment, originating in the Democratic Republic of Congo, consisted of three containers stored at Quy Nhon Port in Gia Lai Province pending customs clearance.
The containers held 165 wooden boxes with a combined volume of more than 64.5 cubic metres. Police used specialised scanning equipment, as well as drilling and cutting techniques, to inspect the contents.
They found that 12 boxes in two containers had been modified to create hollow compartments concealing animal bones and items suspected to be elephant ivory. The items had been placed inside sealed cavities, coated with wax and reinforced with wood, making the boxes appear ordinary.
The concealment method made the contraband extremely difficult to detect by visual inspection alone.
Authorities seized 221 pieces suspected to be ivory, weighing nearly 1,200kg, along with more than 79kg of animal bones. No illegal goods were found in the third container.
Nearly 1.2 tonnes of elephant ivory are disguised inside three timber containers at Quy Nhon Port, Gia Lai Province (Photo: Gia Lai Province Police).
Following the discovery, the Gia Lai Provincial Police Department launched an investigation and requested expert analysis of the seized specimens.
On August 10, the Vietnam National Museum of Nature under the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology issued its examination findings, confirming that the samples were elephant ivory belonging to the Elephantidae family.
The same day, the Investigation Police Agency of Gia Lai Provincial Police formally opened a criminal case for alleged violations of regulations on the protection of endangered, precious and rare wildlife. Several people linked to the shipment were also detained for questioning.
The ivory is hidden inside blocks of wood as camouflage (Photo: Gia Lai Province Police).
Gia Lai police said the case involved the largest quantity and highest value of endangered, precious and rare wildlife products they had ever uncovered.
The investigation is continuing.
