Hong Kong customs seized thousands of smuggled ivory tusks, as well as rhino horns and rare leopard skins from Nigeria worth US$5.3 million.

The 1,120 ivory tusks from African elephants, 13 horns from white rhinoceroses and five leopard skins weigh over 2.2 tonnes.

"In one single case, we seize ivory tusks, rhino horns and leopard skins, five leopard skins as a whole. I think it's the first time," Vincent Wong, group head (ports Ccontrol) Ports and Maritime Command, Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department said.

Ivory tusks are worth between US$650 and US$1,300 per kilogram, according to a government official, though this batch of tusks may be worth more because they have been polished.

Rhino horns can fetch around US$26,000 per kilogram in the black market.

The rarest of the seized goods, pieces of intact leopard skin, can sell for about US$13,000 per piece.

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