Vietnam discovers more than a tonne of concealed ivory illegally shipped from Africa

Authorities in Vietnam have announced a major seizure of ivory they say was illegally shipped from Africa, Vietnamese media reported on Thursday. The haul of 221 pieces of elephant ivory weighing 1,193 kilograms was announced and displayed to the media at Quy Nh?n port in the central province of Gia Lai, said reports by the Vietnam News Agency and other news outlets. Vietnam is a major hub for the illicit trade of wildlife, both dead and alive. Much of the contraband is transhipped to China, but there is also demand in Vietnam itself and other Southeast Asian countries. Thursday’s reports…