3.2 tonnes of elephant tusks hidden in a storage container sent from Mozambique was seized by Cambodia. This is Cambodia’s largest ivory bust. 1,026 elephant tusks were seized at the Phnom Penh Autonomous Port followed a tip from the US embassy.
Cambodia’s is a key regional transit point for the multibillion-dollar trade in illicit wildlife.
Demand from China and Vietnam has fuelled the growth of illegal wildlife trafficking via Cambodia. Weak law enforcement and corruption attract wildlife smugglers, especially at a time when neighbouring Thailand is cracking down on the banned trade.
The largest before this week occurred in 2014 when Cambodian customs seized about three tonnes of ivory hidden in a container of beans at the southwestern port of Sihanoukville. Last year, Cambodia also seized nearly a tonne of ivory hidden in hollowed-out logs discovered inside an abandoned container, owned by a company based in Mozambique.
The ivory was sent from the southern African nation of Mozambique and arrived at the port last year. The unidentified owner of the shipment did not arrive to pick up the cargo. It is not known whether the shipment was destined for markets in other countries.
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