Thai customs seize illegal haul of 296 ivory tusks

BANGKOK (AFP) -- Thai authorities said Wednesday they have seized a massive ivory haul worth 2.2 million dollars, confiscating 296 tusks sent from Qatar to Bangkok international airport.

The customs department said they acted on a tip-off to discover the tusks Saturday in a shipment declared as "printing metal", bound for a Thai company based in the capital.

A customs official said the elephant tusks, weighing 1,390 kilos (3,058 pounds) and valued at 70 million baht (2.2 million dollars), most likely originated from southern Africa.

The case is under investigation and no arrests have been made as yet, the official said. The shipment is illegal under international laws that ban the trafficking of endangered species and their products.

-- ©Copyright AFP 2010-04-21

Published with written approval from AFP.

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

that quantity is for the chinese market, just it's easier to get it through thailand and than in smaller quantities by the different roots to china itself.

usually it's done by the sea, bacause as an air cargo it has to go through security check and more people would be involved in passing it through.

it's interesting to know, that afp reports faster about thailand, than the local news agencies

Edited April 21, 201016 yr by londonthai

I wonder what, if anything will happen to the "Thai company based in the capital."

FF

I prefer powdered Rhino horn myself, although dried tiger penis is an adequate substitute.

I was going to be a park ranger in Tanzania once.. for 6 months... in my gao year aged 18..

but

my sponsors there allowed a rich Indian 'prince' to come along and shoot elephants for big bucks.

at the time, it put me off, the hypocrisy of it all..

but looking back, culling and revenue stream for the parks is the only way to maintain the herds, and keep the price of ivory within limits that discourage poaching.

Edited April 21, 201016 yr by whiterussian

I prefer powdered Rhino horn myself, although dried tiger penis is an adequate substitute.

I was going to be a park ranger in Tanzania once.. for 6 months... in my gao year aged 18..

but

my sponsors there allowed a rich Indian 'prince' to come along and shoot elephants for big bucks.

at the time, it put me off, the hypocrisy of it all..

but looking back, culling and revenue stream for the parks is the only way to maintain the herds, and keep the price of ivory within limits that discourage poaching.

I applied to do the same when 'Daktari' was on TV (remember Clarence the cross-eyed lion), I was 16 though and they said I was too young. I was well versed in weaponry even then and definitely good enough to take out a poacher or 3!!

ed: sp

Edited April 21, 201016 yr by hunglikea

I applied to do the same when 'Daktari' was on TV (remember Clarence the cross-eyed lion), I was 16 though and they said I was too young. I was well versed in weaponry even then and definitely good enough to take out a poacher or 3!!

ed: sp

I was too young and pea brained to even realise that killing people might be an ethical issue!!

Bloody hormones.

Talking of hormones...

I still have a 'thing' for Saba Douglas Hamilton... posh older tottie!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saba_Douglas-Hamilton

Tiffin will be served on the veranda...

Edited April 21, 201016 yr by whiterussian

I prefer powdered Rhino horn myself, although dried tiger penis is an adequate substitute.

I was going to be a park ranger in Tanzania once.. for 6 months... in my gao year aged 18..

but

my sponsors there allowed a rich Indian 'prince' to come along and shoot elephants for big bucks.

at the time, it put me off, the hypocrisy of it all..

but looking back, culling and revenue stream for the parks is the only way to maintain the herds, and keep the price of ivory within limits that discourage poaching.

I applied to do the same when 'Daktari' was on TV (remember Clarence the cross-eyed lion), I was 16 though and they said I was too young. I was well versed in weaponry even then and definitely good enough to take out a poacher or 3!!

ed: sp

You talk about guns a lot don't you?