Authorities in Vietnam seized a big haul of rhino horns – 13 horns weighing over 30 kilograms – last week that had been smuggled from South Africa.
A package sent by a person in South Africa on a Qatar Airways flight arrived at the Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi on October 4.
The recipient was reportedly someone called Trong Van Nam in Soc Son district in the Vietnamese capital. But Trong never showed up to receive the package, Nhan Dan reported.
Days later, Qatar Airways officials and authorities opened the package to find about 34 kilograms of rhino horns inside.
This was the second seizure of exotic animal parts in weeks at the same airport. On September 29, customs officials at Noi Bai International Airport seized about one ton of elephant ivory and pangolin parts that were shipped from Nigeria.
In oriental culture, rhino horns and pangolin parts are used in traditional remedies. Ivory is also used in making jewelry and home decor pieces.
Vietnam has been monitoring the trade in illegal wildlife products in accordance with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).