Malaysia’s wildlife department has seized 50 rhino horns worth nearly 12 million US dollars bound for Vietnam, “the biggest ever in (Malaysia’s) history in terms of the number of horns and value”, officials said on Monday. /VCG Photo

Customs officers found the 116-kg parts in cardboard boxes on August 13 at the cargo terminal of Kuala Lumpur airport. /VCG Photo

The shipment also included carcasses of what are believed to be tigers and leopards, weighing about 200kg, with an estimated value of about 12.1 million US dollars. /VCG Photo

Global trade in rhino horn is banned by a UN convention, but it is prized in some Asian countries for its medicinal properties. Last year, Malaysia seized about 3.1 million US dollars worth of rhino horns flown in from Mozambique via Qatar. /VCG Photo