$3.4m ivory haul seized in Hong Kong

Authorities in Hong Kong have confiscated nearly four tons of ivory worth $3.4m in their biggest ever seizure of endangered species products.

Customs officials said they found the ivory tusks and ornaments in two containers shipped from Tanzania and Kenya after being tipped off by their counterparts in neighbouring Guangdong province in mainland China.

In one container from Tanzania, customs officers found nearly 1,000 pieces of ivory tusks weighing more than 1,900kg as well as 1.4kg of ivory ornaments. They were hidden in bags of plastic scrap.

In the container from Kenya, officers found 237 pieces of ivory tusks also weighing about 1,900kg.

No-one has been arrested.

The ivory seizure tops one in 2011 worth $2.2m.