Hong Kong seizes $27 million in ivory

• Tweet

HONG KONG, Oct. 20 (UPI) -- Four tons of ivory tusks and ornaments valued at nearly $27 million have been seized in Hong Kong, customs officials say.

The ivory was found this week in two separate shipping containers that originated in Tanzania and Kenya, CNN reported Saturday.

With a combined weight of more than 8,000 pounds, the shipments were among the largest seizures of ivory in Hong Kong.

Acting on a tip from officials in China, customs officials said they inspected a container from Tanzania Tuesday that a shipper had claimed was plastic scrap, and found $13.5 million worth of ivory.

They inspected a container from Kenya Wednesday and found $13.2 million of ivory.

Seven people, including a Hong Kong resident, have been arrested in the case, a customs spokesman said.