DR Congo seizes ivory from 80 slaughtered elephants

The authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo say they have seized 1.5 tonnes of elephant ivory - one of the largest hauls in Africa in recent years.

The smuggled tusks - indicating the slaughter of at least 80 elephants - were discovered on trucks in the south-eastern city of Lubumbashi.

Police arrested five people though two of them fled during questioning.

The origin and intended final destination of the ivory remain unclear.

International ivory trading has been banned since 1990. But demand remains high in China and south-east Asia, where African ivory is used in traditional medicine.

Three years ago, Vietnamese officials discovered over nine tonnes of elephant ivory hidden in a timber shipment from Congo-Brazzaville.

This article originally appeared in BBC News

Photo: AFP