Officials in Hong Kong have made a second major ivory bust in less than a month, reports the Associated Press.
Customs agents at Hong Kong’s port on Thursday discovered 1.33 tons of ivory tusks hidden among some 400 bags of sunflower seeds in a shipping container. The street value of the contraband is estimated at $1.4 million, but no arrests have been made. The shipment originated in Tanzania.
The seizure comes just two weeks after customs officers in Hong Kong discovered almost 4 tons of ivory representing 600 poached elephants in two containers. The ivory was hidden among plastic scrap and beans, according to the AP.
Elephant poaching in Africa has surged in recent years due to rising demand in Vietnam and China. Ivory is often turned into religious trinkets.
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