Tuesday, March 13, 2012

HK agents find $2.2M in illegal rhino horns, ivory

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong customs agents say they have confiscated a shipment of rhino horns and ivory worth about 17.4 million Hong Kong dollars ($2.2 million), their biggest such seizure to date.

Officials said Tuesday that they seized 33 rhino horns, 758 ivory chopsticks and 127 ivory bracelets concealed in a shipping container that arrived at Hong Kong's port from Cape Town, South Africa.

They would not name the container's final destination.

Customs agents found the hidden haul by X-raying the container and then peeling away layers of foil, paper and plastic wrapped around the items.

The seizure tops one in August of $1.6 million worth of African ivory.

Several rhino subspecies are believed to have recently become extinct.

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