The Malaysian Customs at KL International Airport (KLIA) foiled an attempt to smuggle ivory worth RM7.2 million from Congo through the main entrance of the country on Jan 1.

KLIA Customs director Datuk Hamzah Sundang said the ivory found in 17 boxes had been flown via Turkish Airlines from Kinshasa International Airport, Congo, which made a transit at Istanbul Ataturk Airport before landing at KLIA.

"On inspecting, it was found the boxes contained 254 pieces of ivory weighing 846.2kg," he told a press conference here Wednesday.

He said initial investigations showed that the ivory was declared as wood samples and all the addresses and identities on the relevant documents were fictitious.

Hamzah said investigation was ongoing and no arrests had been made.

The case is being investigated under Section 135 (1) (a) of the Customs Act 1967 for importing prohibited goods without a permit.

Elephant ivory is a banned item and prohibited from being imported under the Third Schedule of the International Trade in Endangered Species Act 2008 (Act 686) except with a permit issued by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan).

Hamzah said that nine cases of smuggling ivory weighing 1,254kg and worth RM10.9 million were seized by the KLIA Customs in 2016. - Bernama