Vietnamese customs officers in Ho Chi Minh City on Wednesday found hundreds of kilograms of elephant tusks hidden in two containers shipped from Africa, China's Xinhua news agency reported.
The smuggled elephant tusks were well hidden in bitumen barrels in the containers shipped from Benin, the city-based Cat Lai port authorities said on Wednesday.
A company in Ho Chi Minh City declared that the two containers contained 16 tons of bitumen and they would be exported to Cambodia after transit in the city.
Earlier, in April and May, Vietnamese customs officers detected several cases of smuggling elephant tusks, rhino horns and pangolin scales worth nearly US$450,000 from Africa to Ho Chi Minh City.
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Welcome to Elephant News Vietnam. This site is intended to be a public service to those wishing to keep up to date with events and issues affecting elephants in Vietnam.
Showing posts with label ivory smuggling. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ivory smuggling. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 06, 2017
Thursday, August 31, 2017
3 tonnes of elephant tusks seized from smugglers
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.
"This is the largest seizure of smuggled ivory ever in Thanh Hoa province," the report said.
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 415,000, with 30,000 illegally killed each year.
Prices for a kilogramme (2.2 pounds) of ivory can reach as high as $1,100.
Vietnam outlawed the ivory trade in 1992 but the country remains a top market for ivory products prized locally for decorative purposes, or in traditional medicine despite having no proven medicinal qualities.
Weak law enforcement in the communist country has allowed a black market to flourish, and Vietnam is also a busy thoroughfare for tusks trafficked from Africa destined for other parts of Asia, mainly China.
Last October, Vietnam customs authorities discovered about 3.5 tonnes of elephant tusks at Cat Lai port in Ho Chi Minh city, all in crates of wood, including a hefty two-tonne haul packed into a single shipment.
In 2015, 2.2 tonnes of tusks, originating from Mozambique, were discovered and seized northern Hai Phong port.
And last week authorities in Hong Kong seized 7.2 tonnes of ivory, the largest haul in the city for three decades.
While low level couriers are sometimes arrested across Asia very few wildlife trafficking kingpins are brought to justice.
Please credit and share this article with others using this link:http://www.pulse.ng/world/in-vietnam-3-tonnes-of-elephant-tusks-seized-from-smugglers-id6964871.html
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.
"This is the largest seizure of smuggled ivory ever in Thanh Hoa province," the report said.
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 415,000, with 30,000 illegally killed each year.
Prices for a kilogramme (2.2 pounds) of ivory can reach as high as $1,100.
Vietnam outlawed the ivory trade in 1992 but the country remains a top market for ivory products prized locally for decorative purposes, or in traditional medicine despite having no proven medicinal qualities.
Weak law enforcement in the communist country has allowed a black market to flourish, and Vietnam is also a busy thoroughfare for tusks trafficked from Africa destined for other parts of Asia, mainly China.
Last October, Vietnam customs authorities discovered about 3.5 tonnes of elephant tusks at Cat Lai port in Ho Chi Minh city, all in crates of wood, including a hefty two-tonne haul packed into a single shipment.
In 2015, 2.2 tonnes of tusks, originating from Mozambique, were discovered and seized northern Hai Phong port.
And last week authorities in Hong Kong seized 7.2 tonnes of ivory, the largest haul in the city for three decades.
While low level couriers are sometimes arrested across Asia very few wildlife trafficking kingpins are brought to justice.
Please credit and share this article with others using this link:http://www.pulse.ng/world/in-vietnam-3-tonnes-of-elephant-tusks-seized-from-smugglers-id6964871.html
Saturday, August 19, 2017
Hanoi customs officer caught stealing 150kg of elephant tusks
Legal procedures for embezzling property are currently underway against Pham Minh Hoang, a public servant at the Hanoi customs department, by the municipal police department.
Two of Hoang’s accomplices were also arrested to support the investigation.
An announcement made by the Hanoi customs department on Thursday confirmed that Hoang was serving as the keeper of the agency’s warehouse.
The customs officer abused his role to steal and sell a 150-kilogram shipment of ivory that had been confiscated by the customs department and stored at the facility.
Hoang is currently suspended from his position to facilitate the probe.
The General Department of Vietnam Customs asserted that a stern punishment is expected to be imposed upon the corrupted officer, in accordance with the law,
It also ordered the Hanoi customs department to carry out a comprehensive review of its organization and policies and correct any shortcomings or loopholes in the management of confiscated products.
The agency is coordinating with the municipal police to identify additional accomplices and return stolen products.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the matter.
Please credit and share this article with others using this link:http://tuoitrenews.vn/news/society/20170818/hanoi-customs-officer-caught-stealing-150kg-of-elephant-tusks/41026.html
Two of Hoang’s accomplices were also arrested to support the investigation.
An announcement made by the Hanoi customs department on Thursday confirmed that Hoang was serving as the keeper of the agency’s warehouse.
The customs officer abused his role to steal and sell a 150-kilogram shipment of ivory that had been confiscated by the customs department and stored at the facility.
Hoang is currently suspended from his position to facilitate the probe.
The General Department of Vietnam Customs asserted that a stern punishment is expected to be imposed upon the corrupted officer, in accordance with the law,
It also ordered the Hanoi customs department to carry out a comprehensive review of its organization and policies and correct any shortcomings or loopholes in the management of confiscated products.
The agency is coordinating with the municipal police to identify additional accomplices and return stolen products.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the matter.
Please credit and share this article with others using this link:http://tuoitrenews.vn/news/society/20170818/hanoi-customs-officer-caught-stealing-150kg-of-elephant-tusks/41026.html
Saturday, August 05, 2017
More than 88,500 cases of smuggling in first half of 2017
Authorities collected 7.9 trillion VND (347.5 million USD) from administrative fines, selling off confiscated smuggled goods, and tax arrears, 40 percent more than the previous year’s first half.
According to National Steering Committee 389, the majority of smuggled goods fall into categories of essential consumer goods, heavily taxed goods, or goods banned for import, such as cocaine, explosives, tobacco, cosmetics, petrol and gas, elephant tusks or rhino horns, among others.
Some notable cases include an interception of 7,800 foreign cigarette packs in the southern province of Long An, or confiscation of 26kg rhino horns and 6kg of elephant tusks in Hanoi, and apprehension of 20 ships illegally transporting 3.5 million litres of gas.
The information was released last week at a steering committee meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh.
The steering committee noted that smuggling continues unabated despite heightened efforts to stem it, especially in border areas, where criminals take advantage of hard-to-access locations and transporting the goods on hidden trails or along small streams sheltered by thick forest.
On the maritime front, smuggling of petrol and gas has been on the rise, the committee said, since Vietnam’s current gas price is higher than in some other countries in the region. The criminals’ favoured modus operandi is using foreign ships to transport oil and gas to Vietnam’s maritime borders and then splitting the stock among different Vietnamese fishing boats.
The Deputy PM said strict legislation must be adopted to “remove or reassign leaders showing signs of aiding and abetting smuggling, counterfeit products and trade fraud.”
He added that anti-smuggling efforts are “an important and permanent political duty to be carried out by all levels of the government,” and that there will be no “zero tolerance” in this matter.
The Deputy PM also said that attention must be focused on transnational criminal groups to protect domestic production.
“Culprits order goods from China, bring them back into the country, slap ‘Made in Vietnam’ labels on them and sell them to unsuspecting customers,” according to Le Hong Son, Vice Chairman of Hanoi People’s Committee and member of the Steering Committee 389.
He said previously, the counterfeit products were usually of luxury brands, however the range is now increasingly diverse, from sweets and lightbulbs to clothes.
Please credit and share this article with others using this link:http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/society/182520/more-than-88-500-cases-of-smuggling-in-first-half-of-2017.html
According to National Steering Committee 389, the majority of smuggled goods fall into categories of essential consumer goods, heavily taxed goods, or goods banned for import, such as cocaine, explosives, tobacco, cosmetics, petrol and gas, elephant tusks or rhino horns, among others.
Some notable cases include an interception of 7,800 foreign cigarette packs in the southern province of Long An, or confiscation of 26kg rhino horns and 6kg of elephant tusks in Hanoi, and apprehension of 20 ships illegally transporting 3.5 million litres of gas.
The information was released last week at a steering committee meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh.
The steering committee noted that smuggling continues unabated despite heightened efforts to stem it, especially in border areas, where criminals take advantage of hard-to-access locations and transporting the goods on hidden trails or along small streams sheltered by thick forest.
On the maritime front, smuggling of petrol and gas has been on the rise, the committee said, since Vietnam’s current gas price is higher than in some other countries in the region. The criminals’ favoured modus operandi is using foreign ships to transport oil and gas to Vietnam’s maritime borders and then splitting the stock among different Vietnamese fishing boats.
The Deputy PM said strict legislation must be adopted to “remove or reassign leaders showing signs of aiding and abetting smuggling, counterfeit products and trade fraud.”
He added that anti-smuggling efforts are “an important and permanent political duty to be carried out by all levels of the government,” and that there will be no “zero tolerance” in this matter.
The Deputy PM also said that attention must be focused on transnational criminal groups to protect domestic production.
“Culprits order goods from China, bring them back into the country, slap ‘Made in Vietnam’ labels on them and sell them to unsuspecting customers,” according to Le Hong Son, Vice Chairman of Hanoi People’s Committee and member of the Steering Committee 389.
He said previously, the counterfeit products were usually of luxury brands, however the range is now increasingly diverse, from sweets and lightbulbs to clothes.
Please credit and share this article with others using this link:http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/society/182520/more-than-88-500-cases-of-smuggling-in-first-half-of-2017.html
Thursday, July 06, 2017
Elephant tusks, leopard skins smuggled from Africa to Vietnam
Vietnamese customs officers on Sunday spotted elephant tusks and tails, leopard skins, and wild animals' claws in the luggage of an old local woman who flied from an African country to Ho Chi Minh City.
Checking the personal luggage of a 65-year-old passenger who landed at the Tan Son Nhat international airport, the officers found nearly four kg of elephant tusks, nine elephant tails, three leopard skins and many claws, the municipal Customs Department said, noting that the smuggled items are valued at over 2 billion Vietnamese dong (some 90,000 U.S. dollars).
Over the past four weeks, the airport's customs officers detected several cases of smuggling rhino horns, elephant tusks and pangolin scales worth over 10 billion Vietnamese dong (nearly 450,000 U.S. dollars) from Africa to the city.
Please credit and share this article with others using this link:http://vietnam.mynews.club/news/elephant-tusks-leopard-skins-smuggled-from-africa-to-vietnam---xinhua.html
Checking the personal luggage of a 65-year-old passenger who landed at the Tan Son Nhat international airport, the officers found nearly four kg of elephant tusks, nine elephant tails, three leopard skins and many claws, the municipal Customs Department said, noting that the smuggled items are valued at over 2 billion Vietnamese dong (some 90,000 U.S. dollars).
Over the past four weeks, the airport's customs officers detected several cases of smuggling rhino horns, elephant tusks and pangolin scales worth over 10 billion Vietnamese dong (nearly 450,000 U.S. dollars) from Africa to the city.
Please credit and share this article with others using this link:http://vietnam.mynews.club/news/elephant-tusks-leopard-skins-smuggled-from-africa-to-vietnam---xinhua.html
Wednesday, March 22, 2017
Vietnam seizes 2 tons of smuggled elephant tusks
More than 2 tons of ivory tusks, hidden inside a container imported from Malaysia, were found by customs authorities in the northern port city of Hai Phong.
Nguyen Kien Giang, director of division 3 of Hai Phong Customs, said on Wednesday that after noticing the suspicious looking container, customs officers decided to scan and open it for inspection last week.
The customs declaration for the 40’ container claimed it held 27.5 tons of sea shells, but in fact, it was packed with elephant tusks and other goods banned from importation.
Each of these tusks were cut into three or four pieces, customs officer said.
The writer of the declaration is the one-member branch of the Hai Phong Trading, Services, Import and Export LC located in Quang Ninh Province, who insisted that the container is classified as goods temporarily imported for re-export.
In fact, the branch has made another customs declaration for re-exporting the container to China via northern Lang Son Province.
The value of the tusks has yet to determined, but customs officers said a haul of 769 kg ivory tusks in Hong Kong had an estimated sale price of US$1.49 million last week.
To read the full article, click on the story title
Nguyen Kien Giang, director of division 3 of Hai Phong Customs, said on Wednesday that after noticing the suspicious looking container, customs officers decided to scan and open it for inspection last week.
The customs declaration for the 40’ container claimed it held 27.5 tons of sea shells, but in fact, it was packed with elephant tusks and other goods banned from importation.
Each of these tusks were cut into three or four pieces, customs officer said.
The writer of the declaration is the one-member branch of the Hai Phong Trading, Services, Import and Export LC located in Quang Ninh Province, who insisted that the container is classified as goods temporarily imported for re-export.
In fact, the branch has made another customs declaration for re-exporting the container to China via northern Lang Son Province.
The value of the tusks has yet to determined, but customs officers said a haul of 769 kg ivory tusks in Hong Kong had an estimated sale price of US$1.49 million last week.
To read the full article, click on the story title
Thursday, March 16, 2017
Vietnam presses charges against worker over African ivory smuggling
If convicted, the man could face up to five years in prison for smuggling elephant tusks.
A Vietnamese man has been formally charged with smuggling ivory from Angola, VietnamPlus reported, citing Hanoi prosecutors.
The case is part of Vietnam’s efforts to put an end to ivory smuggling, which has been so prevalent that the country is ranked one of the world’s biggest markets. It outlawed ivory trade in 1992.
In August 2015 customs and police seized 24 pieces of elephant tusks weighted 50 kilograms (110 pounds) from the suitcase of Pham Van Luat, who failed to declare with customs officials of the goods, VietnamPlus reported.
Investigations found Luat went to work at a photocopy shop in Angola in 2012 and was offered $200 to bring the ivory back home, the report said.
Upon the seizure, Luat managed to escape, but last December he turned himself in.
If convicted, Luat could face a jail term of between six months and five years, based on Vietnam's penal code.
The usage and trading of rhino horns, mostly from Africa, is a criminal offence in the Southeast Asian country, but demand is strong as many people believe rare animal parts can cure diseases.
Vietnam also serves as a trafficking hub for tusks bound for other parts of Asia, conservationists say.
Hanoi has rejected such allegations but has also stepped up the fight against smuggling and launched campaigns to raise public awareness about the usage of rhino horns.
Please credit and share this article with others using this link:http://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/vietnam-presses-charges-against-worker-over-african-ivory-smuggling-3555076.html
A Vietnamese man has been formally charged with smuggling ivory from Angola, VietnamPlus reported, citing Hanoi prosecutors.
The case is part of Vietnam’s efforts to put an end to ivory smuggling, which has been so prevalent that the country is ranked one of the world’s biggest markets. It outlawed ivory trade in 1992.
In August 2015 customs and police seized 24 pieces of elephant tusks weighted 50 kilograms (110 pounds) from the suitcase of Pham Van Luat, who failed to declare with customs officials of the goods, VietnamPlus reported.
Investigations found Luat went to work at a photocopy shop in Angola in 2012 and was offered $200 to bring the ivory back home, the report said.
Upon the seizure, Luat managed to escape, but last December he turned himself in.
If convicted, Luat could face a jail term of between six months and five years, based on Vietnam's penal code.
The usage and trading of rhino horns, mostly from Africa, is a criminal offence in the Southeast Asian country, but demand is strong as many people believe rare animal parts can cure diseases.
Vietnam also serves as a trafficking hub for tusks bound for other parts of Asia, conservationists say.
Hanoi has rejected such allegations but has also stepped up the fight against smuggling and launched campaigns to raise public awareness about the usage of rhino horns.
Please credit and share this article with others using this link:http://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/vietnam-presses-charges-against-worker-over-african-ivory-smuggling-3555076.html
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