Thai Customs Seize Two Tonnes Of Ivory Worth Over US$3.3 Million

[webfact]

Thai customs seize two tonnes of ivory

BANGKOK, April 1, 2011 (AFP) - Thai customs on Friday said they had seized two tonnes of ivory worth over $3.3 million hidden in a shipment of frozen fish -- equivalent to more than 120 elephants killed.

Officials found 247 tusks concealed among hundreds of boxes of mackerel apparently from Kenya, in a boat at Bangkok Port on the Chao Phraya river, the customs department said.

The haul -- which officials said was the biggest in a year and equated to at least 123 elephants killed -- weighed 2,033 kilos (4,472 pounds) and was displayed by authorities in the Thai capital.

Wildlife anti-trafficking group Freedland said it was the first time customs officials had found ivory coming into Thailand by boat and said it showed smugglers were being forced to change tactics.

"It is another sign that steady collaboration by Thai and African law enforcement is foiling ivory traffickers who are losing huge amounts of money, and that's where you have to hit them to stop them -- in the pocket," said the group's director, Steven Galster.

Freedland said the seizure marked the ninth major enforcement action by authorities in Kenya and Thailand since a collaboration was agreed in November 2010.

More than four tonnes of ivory have been confiscated since then, it said.

International trade in ivory was banned in 1989, but seizures have risen dramatically in the past five years.

Experts say traffickers use Thailand to smuggle ivory, rough or carved, into neighbouring China -- where it is ground up in traditional medicine -- and Japan. But some also ends up in the United States and Europe.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2011-04-01

[londonthai]

most probably not the first shipment, before such volume is send the smugglers try smaller quantities, to see how it works and than send a bigger butch.

still, those 4 tons of confiscated ivory is only a tip of an iceberg.

To think some 500 elephants were killed for the greed of the middle men and sheer stupidity of the clients believing in the health miracle.

the whole trade through thailand might be in thousands killed in africa

Edited April 1, 2011 by londonthai

[jimbeam1]

Now what happens to it? Destroyed?

jb1

[Nisa]

Good Job!!

I wonder if the price they are quoting is wholesale or is considering what the end product will get on the street. At the quoted price that is more than $26,000 per elephant. Got to be a tough situation to control in Africa given the value.

[WarpSpeed]

Yes, now what happens to them and the elephants were still killed regardless, it's too late I think these customs guys are heros though ...

[londonthai]

destroying it would be useless, but selling on the market or at the public auction (batch by batch) would bring money for an upgrade of equipment for the customs.

if has kenya contributed to this seizure, than they should get back ivory or money - whatever the agreement is

[asiawatcher]

Tough call, the elephants are now gone, the Kenyans or Africans in general are still responsible, but the equation begs, was this stash to be sold in Thailand meaning the Thai's still have demand for this barbaric garbage. Find the Thai sellers and prosecute them, confiscate their illegally obtained assets from profits in this trade and turn their family out in the streets. That will send a fair warning and reuse demand. Demand always dictates supply. Of course, send funds from the sale to Africa and split it so both sides benefit. I wonder how many Customs officials will end up with tusks in their homes?

[londonthai]

it's not for thai market

"traffickers use Thailand to smuggle ivory, rough or carved, into neighbouring China and Japan. But some also ends up in the United States and Europe."

[Oberkommando]

it's not for thai market

"Ivory shipped to Thailand typically goes to carvers who fashion it into Buddhist statues, bangles and jewelry for sale to tourists or for export to other countries. Thailand is also a transit point for ivory forwarded to other markets like China."

http://www.westport-news.com/news/article/Thais-seize-2-tons-of-ivory-in-largest-bust-ever-1317833.php

I would think that there is a big market among the Thais as well although the article does try to shift blame for the demand onto tourists and other countries.

[jimbeam1]

it's not for thai market

"traffickers use Thailand to smuggle ivory, rough or carved, into neighbouring China and Japan. But some also ends up in the United States and Europe."

So sadly it would seem that there is still quite a large demand for it. So what is needed is more prosecutions involving the end of the chain. As in those selling the finished product. Also confiscation of the items that the are selling?

jb1

Edited April 2, 2011 by jimbeam1