Singapore makes biggest seizure of rhino horns

A handout photo from Singapore’s National Parks Board that shows pieces of rhino horns after being seized from a transit passenger arriving from South Africa at Changi Airport. (Photo: AFP/VNA)

Singapore (VNA) – Singaporean authorities on October 4 seized 20 pieces of rhino horns that were being smuggled through Singapore Changi Airport.

The National Parks Board (NParks) said airport security staff and NParks' K9 Unit detected and inspected two bags and found 34kg of rhino horns, estimated to be worth around 830,000 USD. This is Singapore's largest seizure of rhino horns to date.

Genetic testing is being carried out at NParks' Centre for Wildlife Forensics to identify the rhino species.

The horns will subsequently be destroyed to prevent them from re-entering the market, disrupting the global supply chain of illegally traded rhino horns, said NParks.

Rhinos are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), to which Singapore is a signatory. Under CITES, international trade in rhino horns is prohibited./.

VNA