Vietnam seizes tonne of tusks
Hanoi : Vietnam customs seized nearly a tonne of elephant tusks concealed inside a container brought in from Africa, authorities said yesterday. The ivory was hidden under the packages of rubber gloves listed as cargo, according to Hai Phong City Customs Department. The container was one of three addressed to an import-export company in Quang Ninh province, said Nguyen Si Trang, deputy director of the department. The department will coordinate with a wild animal protection organization in Vietnam to define the origin of the ivory, he added. Ivory is banned from import or export in Vietnam. According to the World Wide Fund for Nature, most ivory smuggled into Vietnam is destined for China but some is sold locally for 25,000 baht to 39,000 baht per kilogram.