Vietnam to destroy seized rhino horn, ivory

By VnExpress November 9, 2016 | 07:29 pm PT

Police seized a ton of ivory hidden inside a container in Ho Chi Minh City last month. Photo by VnExpress/Q.T.

Customs departments throughout the country reported four major ivory seizures in October alone.

The agriculture ministry will destroy two tons of ivory and 70kg of rhino horns seized from traffickers on November 12, said the ministry at a meeting on Wednesday.

The move reflects Vietnam’s efforts to fight wildlife trafficking and determination not to consume related products, said Ha Thi Tuyet Nga, a top official at Vietnam’s Management Authority of CITES, an international treaty organization dedicated to protecting endangered species.

Nga added that similar destructions of seized ivory and rhino horn have been carried out by countries like the U.S., Singapore, China and France.

The government plans to destroy the cache in Soc Son District, a suburb of Hanoi. All the items will be crushed, burned to ash and buried in the ground.

Ha Cong Tuan, deputy minister of agriculture said the entire procedure will take place under the supervision of related authorities and press agencies.

The ministry also said that from November 17-18, Hanoi will host the third International Wildlife Trade Conference with the participation of high-level delegation and leaders from 54 countries.

The main goal of the conference is to reaffirm the commitment of signatory countries to four objects: eradicating the market for illegal wildlife products, ensuring effective legal frameworks and deterrents, strengthening law enforcement and ensuring sustainable livelihoods and economic development.

> Police rescue 149 pangolins from trafficker in northern Vietnam