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More than 27 kilos of rhino horn worth an estimated 42.6 million baht have been seized by airport officials in Thailand and Vietnam.

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Seized rhino horns are shown with alleged Vietnam smuggler Pham Quang Loc, 56, arrested at Suvarnabhumi airport when he arrived from Ethiopia on his way to Vietnam. Thai Customs estimated the horns are worth more than $500,000 on the black market. They were allegedly hidden inside a souvenir hippo carried by Mr Loc. (AP Photo)

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Rhino horn seized in Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh

More than 27 kilos of rhino horn worth an estimated 42.6 million baht have been seized by airport officials in Thailand and Vietnam.

A 56-year-old Vietnamese man was arrested on Sunday at Suvarnabhumi airport after six pieces of horn, weighing about 10.6kg, were found in his luggage, authorities said Monday.

The same day in Ho Chi Minh City in southern Vietnam, airport customs officers confiscated six pieces of rhino horn weighing some 16.5kg, the state-run Thanh Nien newspaper said.

In that case, a 33-year-old Vietnamese man admitted to smuggling the horn from Mozambique via Doha and Bangkok, it said.

Illegal hunting of rhinos has risen in recent years to meet surging demand for their horns in parts of Asia, particularly in Vietnam where they are highly prized for their supposed medicinal qualities.

One hundred grammes of Rhino horn costs up to US$5,000 on the black market in Vietnam.

It was unclear if there was a link between the two cases.

The suspect detained in Bangkok flew into the country from Ethiopia and was due to board a connecting flight to Hanoi but left his luggage unclaimed on a baggage carousel, said Narongrit Sookprakarn, a wildlife official at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport.

He admitted to carrying the horn from Mozambique, he said.

The man is accused of bringing protected wild animal parts and prohibited goods into the country without permission. If convicted he could face four years in prison and a fine of at least 40,000 baht. AFP

seized – taken away by force or official power ถูกยึกครอง
rhinoceros – a very large thick-skinned animal from Africa or Asia, which has one or two horns on its nose แรด
alleged – claimed to be true although not yet proven ที่ถูกกล่าวหา
smuggler – a person who takes things or people to or from a place secretly and often illegally  ผู้ลักลอบขนสินค้าหรือคนหรือสัตว์เข้าและออกจากประเทศอย่างผิด
arrested – caught by the police and taken to a police station because you are believed to have committed a crime ถูกจับกุม
Customs Department – a government department which checks and collects taxes on goods leaving or entering the country กรมศุลกากร
estimated – thought to be a particular amount, size, etc. based on a guess or the best information available ประมาณการ
souvenir – something that you buy during a holiday or at a special event to remind you later of being there ของที่ระลึก
hippo (hippopotamus) –   a large heavy African animal with thick dark skin and short legs, that lives in rivers and lakes  ฮิปโปโปเตมัส, ช้างน้ำ
luggage – baggage; all the cases and bags that you take with you when you travel กระเป๋าเดินทาง
authorities – people who have the power to make decisions or enforce the law เจ้าหน้าที่ผู้มีอำนาจ
confiscate – to officially remove someone’s possessions for legal reasons or as a punishment   ยึดทรัพย์
state – government รัฐบาล
admit – to agree that something is true, especially when you are unhappy, sorry or surprised about it  ยอมรับ
illegal – against the law ผิดกฎหมาย, นอกกฎหมาย
surge – to increase very quickly เพิ่มขึ้นอย่างรวดเร็ว
demand – the amount of a product or service that people want ความต้องการ
prized – very valuable to somebody มีค่า
supposed – believed to be; thought to be  เป็นที่เชื่อว่า
medicinal – helpful in the process of healing illness or infection ซึ่งมีคุณสมบัติเป็นยา
link – a connection การเชื่อมต่อ
suspect – a person who is thought to have committed a crime ผู้ต้องสงสัย
detain – to keep someone in a police station or prison and not allow them to leave กักตัว ควบคุมตัวหรือฝากขัง
due to – scheduled to มีกำหนด
board – to get onto a ship, aircraft, train, or bus ขึ้น(เรือ  รถเมล์ รถไฟ เครื่องบิน)
unclaimed – that nobody has claimed as belonging to them or being owed to them ทรัพย์สินที่ไม่มีผู้เรียกเอ
baggage – luggage; all the cases and bags that you take with you when you travel กระเป๋าเดินทาง
carousel – a continuous moving strip on which airport passengers' bags are put for collection
wildlife – animals, birds, insects, etc. that are wild and live in a natural environment สัตว์ป่า
prohibit – to not allow; to ban ห้าม
goods – things that are produced to be sold; possessions that can be moved สินค้า, สิ่งของ
permission – allowing someone to do something การอนุญาต,การอนุมัติ,การยินยอม
convicted – having been proven guilty of a crime by a court of law ต้องโทษ, ได้รับการพิสูจน์ว่าข้อกล่าวหามีความผิดจริง
fine – an amount of money that you have to pay because you have broken the law ค่าปรับ

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