A Vietnamese schoolgirl was caught attempting to smuggle ivory accessories by customs officers at the border between China and Vietnam.
Officers noticed the girl as she tried to walk past them quickly while wearing a long-sleeved school uniform on a hot day.
The 13-year-old girl was found carrying 49 pieces of ivory products around her torso, according to local reports.
Chinese customs released surveillance camera footage which shows the girl stopped by the officers as she walked past the border at Dongxing port on May 4.
The girl, known by her nickname E Xuan, can be seen wearing her long-sleeved school jacket and walking fast in front of the officers.
She caught the attention of the officials by her outfit and suspicious moves.
‘It’s strange to wear a long-sleeved jacket under such hot weather and the girl put her hands in the pockets while walking past the desk, as if she is trying to hide something,’ said officer Huang Shengmei.
E Xuan had 30 ivory necklaces and 19 ring-shaped ornaments strapped around her waist, reported Legal Daily.
It’s found that the ivory accessories weighed about 2 kilograms (4.4lbs).
The teenager told the customs that she would be rewarded by ‘someone else’ for bringing goods across the border.
Dongxing Port border is situated between Móng Cái city in northern Vietnam and Fangchenggang city in south-west China.
China customs warned that it is an offence to illegally import and or export ivory or any of its products under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna or Flora (CITES) and national forestry regulations.
It remains unsure if the girl would face any charges by the Chinese authority. The case is under further investigation.