Cambodia Seizes Details of Ivory, Wild Animal Bones, Pangolin Scales

PHNOM PENH— Cambodia on Wednesday released the details of the haul of elephant tusks, wild animal bones and pangolin scales found at a dry port on the western outskirts of Phnom Penh on Saturday.

According to a customs report on Wednesday, the animal parts found at the Royal Railway Phnom Penh dry port totalled 1.58 tons, including 640 pieces of ivory weighed 1.36 tons, 82 kg of wild animal bones, 137 kg of pangolin scales and 4.9 kg of elephant tails.

Un Vannarith, deputy chief of the Phnom Penh Forestry Administration cantonment, said Monday that the animal parts were stuffed inside the logs which were shipped from the southern African nation of Mozambique.

He said the raid was made following a tip-off from the NGO Regional Intelligence Liaison Office of the World Customs Organization.

The intended destination of the haul was unknown as an investigation was underway to find out the smugglers, he added.

In August, some 613 kg of elephant tusks shipped from Africa were found concealed inside a corn container at the Sihanoukville Autonomous Port in southwest Cambodia’s Preah Sihanouk province.