International Affairs
The illegal rhino horn trade continues to pose a major conservation and law enforcement challenge, with Malaysia and Vietnam emerging as dominant links in the illicit supply chain. According to the joint IUCN–TRAFFIC report The African and Asian Rhinoceroses – Status, Conservation and Trade, the period from 2021 to 2023 witnessed Malaysia accounting for 24 percent of the total seized weight of rhino horns worldwide. All seizures involving Malaysia placed it as the final point in the chain, either as a transit hub or as a destination country.
Out of 60 seizures linked to international routes between Africa and other countries, 29 involved a combined total of 850 kg of rhino horn. Malaysia featured most prominently, with 362 kg transported from South Africa alone, including a single 160 kg seizure in 2021 — the largest by weight in the given period. This scale indicates the likely involvement of organised criminal networks capable of handling large shipments.
Vietnam also appeared as a major destination, with a single seizure of 139 kg recorded, while some shipments included multiple illicit wildlife specimens alongside rhino horns. Middle Eastern nations such as the UAE and Qatar were also identified as important transit points. The data suggests that both Malaysia and Vietnam function as key end markets in the global illegal rhino horn trade, while transit routes are diversifying, pointing to a more complex and adaptive criminal network.
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