Malaysian authorities have seized 1,500 elephant tusks in a $20 million dollar shipment believed to have been bound for China.

Inspectors at Port Klang harbour last week found 24 tons of unprocessed tusks hidden in secret compartments in containers of timber, customs official Azis Yacub said.

He added that the shipment originated from Togo and sailed to Spain, where it was transferred to another ship before arriving in Malaysia.

He said in a statement that intelligence showed the shipment was to be moved to another ship before heading to China. No arrests have been made.

Malaysia has stepped up inspections for illegal ivory after wildlife groups said the country was becoming a transit hub for tusks amid robust demand in China that has decimated African elephant populations.

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