The Customs Department on Friday announced the seizure of 281 ivory tusks, weighing nearly 790kg, and 12 bags containing nearly 590kg of pangolin scales. The haul was seized at a Samui customs checkpoint on Dec 10, department director-general Kulit Sombatsiri said.
The seizure followed a police investigation into reports smugglers had brought a large quantity of elephant tusks into the country through a regional airport to avoid detection, Mr Kulit said.
The department was working closely with the Royal Thai Police and the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation to stamp out ivory smuggling, particularly tusks from Africa that were brought into the country illegally and later carved and sold as decorative local ivory, Mr Kulit said.