Malaysia customs seizes 159kg in smuggled ivory

Malaysian authorities said on Wednesday they had confiscated 159kg (350lb) of ivory smuggled by air passengers, the latest seizures in a country used as a key Asian transit point in the illegal trade. Customs officials, who said the haul was worth $382,200, displayed the seized elephant tusks at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. They said two Vietnamese men were arrested at the airport upon arrival last Saturday after they were found to be carrying bags containing 101kg of ivory.

Large volumes have traditionally been shipped by sea. So this clearly shows that smugglers are diversifying their methods.

Kanitha Krishnasamy, Traffic’s programme manager in Southeast Asia

Later that day, another bag containing 58kg was discovered at the airport. Authorities believe that bag belonged to a Vietnamese passenger who had flown in from Ethiopia, bound for Hanoi. Authorities said they were still looking for that third suspect. Traffic, the wildlife trade monitoring group, said the latest haul showed poachers were adopting new methods. Tusks and other body parts of elephants are prized for decoration as talismans and for use in traditional medicine across parts of Asia, with China being a major market.

Malaysia ivory