End the Killing of Elephants for VN Ivory Trade

During the first five months of 2026, ENV received 1,548 new wildlife crime reports, representing a 56.8% increase compared to the same period in 2025. While overall reporting increased significantly, the number of new ivory-related cases declined from 29 cases during the same period last year to 22 cases this year, suggesting a continued reduction in ivory trade activity.

During this reporting period, ENV successfully resolved 39 ivory-related cases through cooperation with law enforcement agencies and direct interventions. Below are a few examples of successful outcomes achieved with your support:

On February 11, 2026, Hac Thanh Ward Police in Thanh Hoa province responded to an ENV Law Enforcement Evidence Package and confiscated three tiger claws, six sun bear (Helarctos malayanus) claws, 12 leopard (Panthera pardus) teeth, and 0.7 kg of ivory products from a local jewelry shop. On March 15, 2026, police prosecuted the subject (Case ref. 15446/ENV).

On March 6, 2026, An Giang Provincial Police responded to an ENV Law Enforcement Evidence Package and gave an online seller an administrative fine of VND 7,500,000 for advertising ivory products, bear and tiger claws and canines (Case ref. 30572/ENV).

On March 24, 2026, Hanoi Police, in cooperation with ENV, conducted a sting operation that resulted in the seizure of five hornbill rostrums and the arrest of the supplier and his wife. Simultaneous raids at a warehouse in Hanoi led to the seizure of 4.5 tonnes of illegal cigarettes (80,200 packs) and one additional arrest. As part of the same operation, additional raids at another warehouse in Quang Ninh, owned by a Tier 1 transnational wildlife trafficker, resulted in the seizure of 242,92 kg of ivory and 240 kg of pangolin scales. At the time of this report, two fugitives remain at large in connection with the ivory and pangolin scale seizure. Later, the fourth subject, responsible for handling input contacts for shipments of smuggled cigarettes, was arrested. The fifth suspect, an ivory trader, surrendered to the police after two months in hiding (Case ref. 8695/ENV).

On April 6, 2026, Khanh Hoa authorities responded to a public report via the ENV Wildlife Crime Hotline, arrested a subject, and confiscated six bear claws and three suspected tiger claws. He was first reported to ENV on March 11, 2026, for advertising ivory, bear claws, bear canines, tiger claws, tiger canines, and ivory products on Facebook (Case ref. 36639/ENV).

On May 4, 2026, Facebook deactivated a wildlife-trading group called "Wild boar tusk trading feng shui items" following a report submitted by ENV through the Ministry of Communication. The group had 13,882 members and was first detected by an ENV staff member in March 2026 for advertising ivory and rhino horn products, rhino tiger canines, bear claws, and other wildlife products (Case ref. 36675/ENV).

On June 28, 2023, Noi Bai Airport authorities seized four suitcases containing 54.16 kg of African bush elephant tusks (Loxodonta africana) and 13 rhino horns from the Black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) and Northern white rhino (Ceratotherium simum), with a total weight of 22.63 kg. At the scene, the leader of the baggage service team at Noi Bai Airport was arrested. Later, these suitcases were identified as belonging to two individuals who confessed that they had been hired by a Vietnamese woman in Angola to transport wildlife to Vietnam for a fee. The woman in Angola was wanted. On May 12, 2026, the woman was arrested in Senegal (Case ref. 27715/ENV).

ENV is committed to combating ivory crime in Vietnam to help protect elephants around the world. Thank you so much for your trust and strong support of our work.

Links:

• ENV's website
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News from the frontlines

In 2025, our crime fighters received a total of 72 wildlife crime cases involving 188 violations related to elephant ivory. Most of these reported violations involved advertising and selling ivory products on social media. Our team successfully addressed 203 ivory crime cases in 2025; many of these cases were initially reported during the previous period.

Below are examples of ENV successes involving ivory in 2025:

On January 6, 2025, Phu Xuyen District Police in Hanoi confiscated 11.7 kg of elephant ivory pieces being transported by a delivery service during an operation undertaken in cooperation with ENV. Later, police arrested the owner at his residence in Tay Ninh (Case ref. 32378/ENV).

On April 3, 2025, Facebook responded to mass crime reporting from ENV staff, volunteers, and members of the public and deactivated a wildlife trading group called "Fengshui Ivory Jewelry", which contained 19,221 members. The mass reporting took place during ENV's monthly Wildlife Crime Cyber Day campaign on March 19, 2025. The group, which facilitated the buying and selling of elephant ivory, tiger, and bear products, was first reported to ENV by a member of the public (Case ref. 33003/ENV).

On April 16, 2025, Facebook removed a wildlife trading group named "Feng Shui Decorative Ivory", which had 21,772 members, following a report submitted by ENV through the Ministry of Communications. The group, which was facilitating the sale of elephant ivory, tiger, and bear products, was initially reported to ENV by a member of the public (Case ref. 28131/ENV).

On April 22, 2025, the Economic Department of Hanoi City Police arrested a woman and confiscated 5.5 kg of African elephant (Loxodonta africana) ivory pieces and four ivory pendants during an operation undertaken in cooperation with ENV. The subject had previously been arrested in 2018 for smuggling 2.38 kg of ivory products. After checking her phone, police found her supplier's contact and then quickly inspected the supplier’s residence, where they confiscated an additional 1.1 kg of ivory. On September 18, 2025, a Hanoi court sentenced the woman to 16 months in prison, while her supplier was given a 14-month suspended sentence with 28 months of probation. The ivory products were destroyed (Case ref. 12083/ENV).

On August 1, 2025, Khanh Hoa Provincial Police, acting on an ENV report, inspected a shop catering to Chinese tourists and seized rhino horns, rhino horn pieces, elephant ivory statues, bear bile vials, gallbladders, pangolin scales, tiger bone TCM bars, and other wildlife products. Additionally, numerous undocumented health food products were found. At the time of the inspection, 29 Chinese and 33 Vietnamese individuals were working at the shop. Three Chinese individuals and a Vietnamese woman were arrested (Case ref. 33639/ENV).

On November 5, 2025, Angolan authorities arrested three Vietnamese men and confiscated 57 elephant tusks weighing a total of 426 kg. One of the subjects was involved in several previous ivory seizure cases in which shipments were sent from Angola to Vietnam. He is currently working as a loan shark at a casino in Venice City, Luanda, Angola (Case ref. 35102/ENV).

On December 15, 2025, Thuong Tin Commune Police of Hanoi, in response to a report from ENV, arrested a well-known wildlife trafficker and confiscated 2.6kg of African elephant (Loxodonta africana) ivory. The subject used a clone account to advertise rhino horn and ivory products. He was also reportedly the owner of 9.8 kg of ivory tusks seized in Ninh Binh province in 2024 (Case ref. 16520/ENV).

Until next time, we look forward to sharing more updates on what your donations have helped achieve,

The ENV Team

Links:

• ENV's website