Customs seizes nearly 100kg of smuggled rhino horn

Rhino horn was discovered inside shipments. Photo: T.H

On December 22, at SCSC's warehouse, the Southern Anti-Smuggling Enforcement Team (Unit 3, Anti-Smuggling - Investigation Department, General Department of Vietnam Customs) and Tan Son Nhat International Airport Customs Branch, Customs Enforcement Team (Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department) cooperated with the Environmental Police Department and the Ministry of Public Security to examine 12 packages of goods, and discovered nearly 93kg of suspected rhino horn.

The above goods were sent by air to Vietnam under 2 bills of lading to the recipient named as H.D.P.M Trading Services Company Limited.

One bill of lading issued by Singapore Airlines dated December 15, 2020 consists of eight packages, weighing 138kg, and the other bill of lading consists of four packages issued by Cathay Pacific Airlines dated December 4, 2020, weighing 74kg.

Both shipments have opened customs declarations by the enterprise. However, detecting suspicious signs, the Customs force chaired to conduct an examination and discovered that 51 horns were contained in 12 packages, the total weight is nearly 93kg and suspected of being rhino horn.

This is a large-scale smuggling operation of rhino horn discovered and handled by the Customs authority.

Currently, all the violated goods have been sampled for inspection and sealed by the Customs authority to expand the investigation for further clarification.

Rhino horn was discovered inside shipments. Photo: T.H

Customs officials conducted an examination. Photo: T.H

The number of rhino horn was wrapped carefully in kitchen foil in order to avoid scanning. Photo: T.H

All rhino horn was 51 pieces

The inspection and verification were conducted by Customs authority

All the shipment was sealed for expanding verification.