34 kg rhino horns transported via airway were seized

Infringing goods were seized.

The shipment with the bill of lading No. 157 JNB 40888374 was transported on the Qatar Airways flight number QR 8954 from South Africa in transit via Doha to Vietnam on 4th October 2018.

Previously, through Customs inspection and control, the Customs Enforcement Team coordinating with Noi Bai International Airport Customs Branch (under Ha Noi Customs Department) detected a carton package with suspicious signs. The Customs officers screened the package. The results showed that the goods inside the shipment were suspected as animal products.

The shipper’s name declared on the bill of lading is EXQUISITE GLOBAL SIPPING& LOGISTICS SUITE 101 KEMPTON PARK JOHANNESBURG SOUTH AFRA in South Africa, and the consignee is Truong Van Nam, with the address of Soc Son, Hanoi.
In the morning of the same day, with warehouse representatives, Qatar Airways and relevant people as witnesses, the competent forces opened and inspected the shipment. Then, they detected that 13 rhino horns and other products were hidden inside the shipment. Subsequently, the competent forces took samples for verification.

The representative of Noi Bai International Airport Customs Branch said that in order to accurately identify the scientific names on species of these horns, the Customs authority would invite the verification authority to identify the species.

Currently, implementing the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the Customs authorities strengthened the control to prevent and detect the illegal transportation of wild animal and products into Vietnam. The traders and transporters illegally transporting wild animal products used sophisticated tricks to distract the control by the competent forces.

“When the competent forces inspect and identify the goods owners, almost all consignees on the bill of lading refuse to receive goods”.

The strengthening of inspection and control for the illegal transportation of goods as wild plants and animals has shown Vietnam's commitment to the CITES which is an agreement signed between Governments. The CITES is developed to sustainably control the international trade in samples of wild plants and animal products, ensuring this activity does not affect the survival of species in nature.

This is the second seizure of wild animal products transported via Noi Bai International Airport that was detected by the Customs force from the beginning of September to now.

Previously, on September 29, Customs officials also detected and seized nearly one ton of ivory, ivory products and pangolin scales transported from Nigeria to Noi Bai International Airport.

The Customs Newspaper’s reporter was present at the site and took photos of the inspection of the shipment of rhino horns at Noi Bai Terminal Cargo Service at Noi Bai International Airport.

Horns were wrapped by plastic. Photo by: N.L

Horns have big and small size. Photo: N.L

A big horn in the shipment. Photo: N.L

A big horn in the shipment. Photo: N.L

When being inspected, the horns were foul-smelling. Photo: N.L

Horns have big size. Photo: N.L

Besides the rhino horns, the shipment also contains other products . Photo: N.L

All the infringing goods in the shipment. Photo: N.L