Seized 8 tons of ivory and pangolins scales transporting illegally inside scrap container at Danang port.

Ivory was seized on 4/10

Earlier, in the afternoon on 4/10, the Central Anti-Smuggling Enforcement Unit – Unit 2 (Anti-smuggling and Investigation Department, General Department of Vietnam Customs) coordinated with Danang Customs port Customs Branch (Danang Customs Department) and the Border Defense force, Police of Da Nang, Economic Police Department (Ministry of Public Security), and conducted a physical inspection and discovered the above prohibited goods.

The tally was carried out continuously until late at night on 4/10. At 11:32 PM, the information source of the Customs News said that, the tally had been completed with the result of over 2 tons of ivory and nearly 6 tons of pangolins scales were seized.

This was the largest seizure of ivory and pangolin scales in the country since the beginning of 2018 and many recent years.

The cargo container containing the prohibited goods was transported by Lindavia ship to Danang port on 29/9/2018. The shipment originated from Nigeria with the items named on the bill of lading as scrap. However, the inspection results showed there were lots of ivory and pangolins scales.

The company named on the bill of lading was Thien Truong Su Co, Ltd., (Doan Ket Hamlet, Nghia Xuan Commune, Quy Hop District, Nghe An province). However, on 4/10, the enterprise had not come to open the import declaration and also have not sent a document for refusing to receive the goods.

Thus, in recent days, customs forces have chaired two huge seizure cases of smuggling ivory and pangolins scales originating from Nigeria.

It is known that earlier, on 28/9, at the Noi Bai International Airport (Hanoi), the Customs Enforcement Unit (Hanoi Customs Department) coordinated with the Noi Bai International Airport Customs Branch (Ha Noi Customs Department), the Northern Anti-Smuggling Enforcement Unit - Unit 1 (Anti-smuggling and Investigation Department) and conducted an inspection and tallying 24 cargo cartons sent from Nigeria to Vietnam on 21/9 transported by Turkish Airlines.

The consignors’ names on the bill of lading were two companies based in Nigeria and the names of the consignee were two companies based in Soc Son, Hanoi. However, the unit on the bill of lading refused to receive the goods.

Through the inspection of cargo containers, Customs forces seized more than 190 kg of ivory, ivory products and more than 800 kg of pangolin scales.

These were some images of ivory and pangolin scales at Danang port on 4/10.

Container contained prohibited goods

Competent force checked seal while opened containers

Pineapple sacks containing scrap was camouflaged on the outside of the container.

inside containing lots of ivory

...pangolin scales

Close-up of pangolin scales in the infringing shipment.