Cambodia seizes 613 kg of trafficked elephant tusks at sea port

PHNOM PENH - Cambodian customs officials on Friday confiscated 613 kg of elephant tusks at the Sihanoukville Autonomous Port in southwestern Preah Sihanouk province, a port's customs chief said.

"This is the second time we seized a large amount of ivory hidden in a corn container at the port," Kin Ly, director of customs office at the Sihanoukville Autonomous Port, told Xinhua.

"Seized elephant tusks were imported from an African country and destined for a third country, Cambodia is just a transit point," he said.

He added that an investigation is underway to find out the smugglers.

In May 2014, the port's customs officers confiscated about three tons of elephant tusks hidden in two containers of beans.

The market price of ivory is over $2,200 per kg and has more than doubled in the last five years, according to the World Wildlife Fund.