One tonne of smuggled ivory tusk worth RM10m seized

SEPANG: The KL International Airport (KLIA) Customs Department seized 1,001kg of smuggled ivory tusk worth more than RM10 million last month.
KLIA Customs director Datuk Chik Omar Chik Lim said the haul was discovered on July 21 when twenty-three packages containing 60 pieces of ivory, believed to be from 30 elephants, were found in a Turkish Airlines air cargo.
"We managed to intercept the smuggling attempts into our country based on surveillance and intelligence. We believe the ivory were not meant to be sold here, but in China, Thailand and Vietnam where the demand is higher.
"The plane (Turkish Airlines) was from Kinshasa International Airport, Democratic Republic of Congo, had also made a transit at Istanbul Ataturk Airport in Turkey," Chik Omar said in a press conference today.
The ivory was labelled as "Baked Clay and Wooden Sample" and addressed to homes in Selangor and Johor but the houses were empty.
The department is also in the midst of tracing the sender and origin of the ivory and the case is being investigated under Section 135(1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967.
Ivory is a prohibited item under the International Trade in Endangered Species Act 2008 and Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, and a permit is required to import such items.
Meanwhile, a parcel from Nigeria containing 530 grams (worth RM42,400) of methamphetamine was confiscated at the KLIA Mail and Courier Centre on July 22 at 11am.
"The parcel was registered to a recipient in Kuala Lumpur and attempts to locate the recipient and the address failed," he said.
Similarly in another case, 35.15kg of Khat leaves worth RM17,575 were seized by the department on July 14 at the KLIA Mail and Courier Centre.