Malaysia has seized rhinoceros horns worth nearly $12 million bound for Vietnam, the Southeast Asian nation's largest haul of such contraband, officials said on Monday.

Wildlife experts say Malaysia is a major transit point for the illegal trafficking of endangered species to other Asian countries.

Officials acting on a tip-off seized 50 horns, weighing about 116 kg (256 lb), at the cargo terminal of Kuala Lumpur Airport on Aug. 13, a wildlife official said in a statement.