CHIBA -- Police arrested on Tuesday a Laotian national who was an animal keeper at the Fuji Safari Park in Susono, Shizuoka Prefecture, on suspicion of violating the Customs Law by trying to smuggle ivory and other items abroad.
According to the Chiba prefectural police, the suspect is Lam Ouan Khongsavanh, 27. When departing for Laos from Narita Airport on July 4 last year, he allegedly tried to export a total of 230 items, including the tusks of African elephants, white rhino bones and cheetah teeth, without permission.
The suspect had worked at the Fuji Safari Park for about 3-1/2 years, where he was in charge of taking care of elephants.
He is believed to have collected fangs and other body parts by digging up the dead bodies of animals and collecting them in the animal park's grounds. Police said he has admitted to the charges.
According to the Narita Branch Customs of the Tokyo Customs, X-ray examination detected ivory and other items in his luggage. International trade in most of the items is banned by the Washington Convention.
The suspect reportedly told police that he wanted to sell them to his friends and acquaintances.
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