Customs officials in the Philippines seized six rhino horns hidden among 300 sacks of cashew nuts in a shipment which arrived from Mozambique.
The shipper of the rhino horns and cashew nuts, Chisteva Import and Export, did not file an entry for its consignee and customs broker, which prompted customs and intelligence operatives to investigate the cargo.
Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon said rhino horn trafficking would not be tolerated in the Philippines.
We strongly condemn the smuggling of endangered species because it causes irreparable damage to nature and the environment. The seizure of these rhinoceros horns today should serve as a warning to ill minded traders that the Philippines is no place for them to indulge in their illicit trade.
Although the final destination of this shipment was not revealed at the time of writing, it is worth noting that Southeast Asian countries are frequently utilized as transit points for wildlife contraband headed for China.
Source: Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines and @CommssionerBOC
Rhishja Cota
I am the founder of Annamiticus and I have been researching and writing about wildlife trafficking issues since 2009. I also founded World Pangolin Day in 2012. I am the author of USAID Wildlife Asia's Pangolin Species Identification Guide: A Rapid Assessment Tool for Field and Desk. I co-facilitated and was a presenter at the USAID Wildlife Asia Pangolin Care Workshop. At the 4th Regional Dialogue on Combating Trafficking of Wild Fauna and Flora, I facilitated the species roundtables on pangolins. I have trekked with forest rangers in Cambodia, journeyed to the streets of Hanoi to research the illegal wildlife trade, and to the rainforests of Sumatra and Java to document the world’s rarest rhinos. At CITES meetings, I collaborate with colleagues from around the world to lobby in favor of protecting endangered species. I hosted the Behind the Schemes podcast and am the author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine. I enjoy music, desert gardening, herping, reading, creating, and walking with my dogs. Check out my t-shirts and stickers at snoots + teefers.