July 9, 2017
The global trade in elephant
ivory, with rare exceptions, has been outlawed since 1989 after populations of
the African giants dropped from millions in the mid-20th century to around
600,000 by the end of the 1980s
Vietnamese authorities have
seized nearly three tonnes of ivory hidden among boxes of fruit, officials said
Sunday, the latest haul to spotlight the country's key role in the global
wildlife smuggling trade.
Police in the central province of
Thanh Hoa found 2.7 tonnes of tusks inside cartons on the back of a truck that
was on its way to Hanoi, according to a report on their website.
State media said the elephant
tusks originated from South Africa.
The truck driver claimed he was
unaware of what he was transporting, according to a report in state-controlled
Tuoi Tre newspaper.
Police declined to comment
further when contacted by AFP on Sunday.
The global trade in elephant ivory, with
rare exceptions, has been outlawed since 1989 after populations of the African
giants dropped from millions in the mid-20th century to around 600,000 by the
end of the 1980s.
There are now believed to be some
4
5,000, with 30,000 illegally killed each year.
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