SINGAPORE — What appeared to be an ordinary thermos flask turned into evidence of wildlife smuggling after Singapore immigration officers discovered a 550g elephant ivory tusk hidden inside it.
A 30-year-old Indonesian ship crew member, Hafiludin, was sentenced to eight weeks’ jail after attempting to bring the protected ivory tusk into Singapore without the required permits.
The discovery was made during a routine X-ray screening at the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority’s Keppel Entrance Crew office on Aug. 9, after officers flagged the flask in his luggage for further checks.
ICA Officers Find Sharp Object Inside Flask
Hafiludin had arrived in Singapore aboard the vessel he was working on, which entered the country on Aug. 8.
Singapore was his final port of call before he was scheduled to return home to Indonesia. When he went through the required sign-off procedures at Keppel, his luggage underwent routine security screening.
ICA officers noticed something suspicious inside a thermos flask.
Further inspection revealed a sharp, pointed object resembling an elephant ivory tusk concealed inside.
When questioned, Hafiludin repeatedly claimed the object was a cigar-shaped plastic device used for smoking.
The case was subsequently referred to the National Parks Board for investigation.
He Bought the Ivory Tusk in Nigeria
Investigations revealed that Hafiludin had allegedly purchased the tusk months earlier while his ship was in Lagos, Nigeria.
According to court documents, a travelling merchant boarded the vessel in late December 2025, where Hafiludin bought the tusk for US$150, or approximately S$190.
He reportedly intended to give it to his father as a gift.
But authorities said Hafiludin knew that possessing or importing ivory into Singapore without the proper permits was illegal.
That knowledge led to an elaborate attempt to conceal the item.
Thermos Flask Was Modified to Hide the Tusk
The approximately 27cm-long tusk was too large to fit inside the thermos flask.
Hafiludin therefore modified the flask by sawing off part of its external casing to make enough room for the ivory before placing it inside his luggage.
Laboratory testing later confirmed that the tusk came from an African elephant, although its exact species could not be determined.
The ivory is protected under international wildlife trade rules, and Hafiludin did not possess the permits or licences required to bring it into Singapore.
Singapore Takes Tough Stand Against Wildlife Smuggling
The case highlights Singapore’s continued efforts to prevent the country from being used as a transit point or entry point for illegal wildlife products.
Singapore is a major international maritime and transport hub, making border enforcement particularly important in the global fight against wildlife trafficking.
Earlier this year, authorities announced the seizure of more than 830kg of Asian pangolin scales, believed to have come from more than 2,200 pangolins, in one of Singapore’s largest wildlife trafficking cases. The shipment had been declared as dried fish products.
Singapore authorities have repeatedly stressed their zero-tolerance approach towards the illegal trade in endangered wildlife and their parts.
Eight Weeks’ Jail for Ivory Smuggling Attempt
Hafiludin was convicted of importing a scheduled species under Singapore’s Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act.
The case serves as another reminder that wildlife products purchased overseas can still result in serious criminal consequences when brought across international borders without the required documentation.
What Hafiludin allegedly bought as a US$150 gift in Nigeria ultimately led to his arrest at Singapore’s border — and an eight-week jail sentence after a routine X-ray exposed what was hidden inside his thermos flask.
WWC ONE MEDIA J.M.D
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