After collecting information, customsofficials examined luggage of the man and discovered two elephant tusks, weighing10 kg. The tusks were painted black, covered with aluminium foil and hidden ina box containing lobsters and dried fish.
The detained is a 37-year-old man, residingin Ha Tinh province.
The Institute of Tropical Biology of the VietnamAcademy of Science and Technology concluded that the tusks are of African bushelephants, scientifically known as Loxodonta Africana.
The animal is considered as threatened withextinction in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species ofWild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
Customs officials at Tan Son Nhat airportare working with authorised agencies to further investigate the case.
According to the Education forNature-Vietnam (ENV), 521 endangered wildlife animals were saved in Vietnam in2018 thanks to the engagement of people and law enforcement agencies.Meanwhile, up to 1,666 wildlife-related violations were also detected, of which64 percent involved illegally in advertising and trading endangered animals andproducts made from them.-VNA