"The Nigeria – (Singapore) – Vietnam smuggling route has also been identified as a significant transportation route for the smuggling of scales on their own or in combination with ivory," said the Netherlands-based group. "Analysis of seizure data of smuggled pangolin scales in the last four years shows a significant and rapid increase in the volume being trafficked," it said. Criminals previously involved in the ivory trade, the report also pointed out, were now involved in the trafficking of pangolin scales. "The smuggling of ivory combined with pangolin scales is rapidly increasing, doubling in number and tripling in volume between 2017 and 2018. "Increasingly, combined shipments have a greater proportion of pangolin scales than ivory," it said.

Source: The Star February 10, 2020 06:56 UTC