BEIJING — China has seen a significant decline in the number of ivory smuggling cases, as authorities continue to stringently crack down on such crimes, the General Administration of Customs (GAC) said on Jan 24.

The total volume of seized ivory products plunged to 68 kg last year from 9.2 tons in 2019 across the country, Ni Yuefeng, head of the GAC, said at a work conference.

China has also seen a sharp decline in the number of illegal waste import cases, winning the Asia Environment Enforcement Awards from the United Nations for the fourth time in 2021, Ni said.

Last year, Chinese customs seized 42,000 tons of smuggled foreign waste, down 97.4 percent from the previous year, according to the GAC.