steve choi reports. >> reporter: in tanzania, a heard of wild elephants move through grass lands. their numbers are dropping by the day. slaughtered by poachers for their ivory tusks. >> translator: they follow it until they are very close. they use the gun to shoot. [ gunfire ] >> translator: and after it dies they take the axe and cut and cut and cut. >> reporter: while those at the top of the trade make handsome profits, desperately poor villagers risk much for very little reward. >> translator: this job is very dangerous. if you are caught you are shot. >> reporter: the illegal trade is being fuelled by a growing demand from china, where ivory remains a highly-prized status symbol. 101 east travelled to importa e importance -- tanzania to this busy port. custom officials seized some 33 tons of ivory here. >> they are checking 100% of the cargoes. >> we are determined to stop the illegal poaching of elephants and ending illegal trade in elephant ivory. >> reporter: under cover we meet dealers willing to smuggle ivory. >> translator: it's possible to do it illegally. >> reporter

steve choi has this exclusive report. >> reporter: in tanzania, a herd of wild elephants move throughlands, but their numbers are dropping by the day. >> translator: they follow it until they are very close. they use the gun to shoot. and off it dies, they take the axe and cut and cut and cut. >> reporter: while those at the top of the trade make handsome profits, desperately poor villagers risk much for very little reward. >> translator: this job is very dangerous. if you are caught, you are shot. >> reporter: the illegal trade is being fuelled by a growing demand from china where ivory remains a highly prized status symbol. we travelled from tanzania to the busy port of hong kong, the gateway to this growing market. between 2,000 and 2014, customs officials seized some 33 tons of ivory here. >> they are checking 1% of the cargoes. that's how much was seized and how much was not seized. >> we are determined to curb illegal poaching of elephants and ending illegal trade in elephant ivory. >> reporter: undercover, we meet dealers willing to help us smuggle ivory. >> translator: it's po