Thailand seizes 100 kilos of ivory from Africa

BANGKOK, August 30, 2013 (AFP) - Thai customs on Friday said they had arrested two Vietnamese air passengers after finding more than 100 kilograms (220 pounds) of ivory in their luggage on a flight from Angola.

The haul, which included whole tusks, ivory beads and shaped cubes which could be used for carving, was worth around $500,000, customs said in a statement.

It was found late Thursday in luggage belonging to a Vietnamese man and woman who had arrived in Bangkok on an Ethiopian Airlines flight from the Angolan capital Luanda, a customs statement said.

The pair were due to fly on to neighbouring Cambodia, but failed to report to the gate for their connecting journey after the discovery was made.

"They were later detained in the airport and then charged with smuggling banned items," the statement said.

Thailand is a known transit point for ivory, much of it destined for rich buyers in China or Vietnam where it is used in traditional medicine or as ornaments.

Africa has seen a sharp rise in the illegal trade in wildlife products such as ivory and rhino horn.

Up to 30,000 African elephants were poached for their ivory last year and a record 668 South African rhinos were killed for their horns, according to conservationists.

Thailand has come under the spotlight in recent months over its role in the ivory trade.

Campaigners have urged the kingdom to end its legal domestic tusk trade, which they say enables criminals to launder illegal African ivory in the country.


-- (c) Copyright AFP 2013-08-30

I believe the normal procedure is to destroy smuggled ivory but wouldn't it make more sense to polish carve it as whole tusks if possible, and put it on display for us all to enjoy. At international airports for example with the story of it origin. It just seams such a shame to destroy something so beautiful.

Edited August 30, 201312 yr by uty6543

I believe the normal procedure is to destroy smuggled ivory but wouldn't it make more sense to polish carve it as whole tusks if possible, and put it on display for us all to enjoy. At international airports for example with the story of it origin. It just seams such a shame to destroy something so beautiful.

To get the tusks they must have already destroyed the most beautiful thing - the original owner!

100 kilos in their baggage.....wow...I'm lucky to get 32 kg travelling internationally

I believe the normal procedure is to destroy smuggled ivory but wouldn't it make more sense to polish carve it as whole tusks if possible, and put it on display for us all to enjoy. At international airports for example with the story of it origin. It just seams such a shame to destroy something so beautiful.

What a stupid idea !

What worries me about this is that in all probability the ivory tusks were probably quite small (only 220lbs). This would indicate that the elephants slaughtered for their ivory were either immature or were small tuskers. The days of seeing huge tuskers are very few and far between, these animals were originally (legally?) hunted and are now being poached. The gene pool generating large tuskers has largely been eliminated, resulting in smaller tusked animals. Now even they are being slaughtered. I weep for the elephant.

I believe the normal procedure is to destroy smuggled ivory but wouldn't it make more sense to polish carve it as whole tusks if possible, and put it on display for us all to enjoy. At international airports for example with the story of it origin. It just seams such a shame to destroy something so beautiful.

What a stupid idea !

Why? I might even agree with you if you can point out a reason why its stupid.

I believe the normal procedure is to destroy smuggled ivory but wouldn't it make more sense to polish carve it as whole tusks if possible, and put it on display for us all to enjoy. At international airports for example with the story of it origin. It just seams such a shame to destroy something so beautiful.

A better idea would be to carve them into weapons to beat the elephant killers with.

Karma.

Like most people on these flights, they were probably too cheap to check their baggage and took over size packages as carry on. Perhaps a 2+ meter long object covered in bubble wrap was too obvious. Especially when they couldn't fit in the overhead compartments. .

Edited August 30, 201312 yr by jaltsc

I believe the normal procedure is to destroy smuggled ivory but wouldn't it make more sense to polish carve it as whole tusks if possible, and put it on display for us all to enjoy. At international airports for example with the story of it origin. It just seams such a shame to destroy something so beautiful.

What a stupid idea !

So what would you do with them then????????????????????

How many suitcases did they have then?

......... and within a week the Ivory will have "vanished" into thin air

I believe the normal procedure is to destroy smuggled ivory but wouldn't it make more sense to polish carve it as whole tusks if possible, and put it on display for us all to enjoy. At international airports for example with the story of it origin. It just seams such a shame to destroy something so beautiful.

hard to enjoy knowing how it got there.

I believe the normal procedure is to destroy smuggled ivory but wouldn't it make more sense to polish carve it as whole tusks if possible, and put it on display for us all to enjoy. At international airports for example with the story of it origin. It just seams such a shame to destroy something so beautiful.

What a stupid idea !

So what would you do with them then????????????????????

I agreed when the guy said your idea was stupid.. why? .. because what you suggested is a big part of the problem in the first place. there are laws put in place

concerning ivory , more to do with conservation and morals , fact is people don't want to be looking at ivory sculptures knowing the horrendous way in which it was

taken from a marvellous creature.. rich people will always want and strive to get things they desire because they have the cash.. we shouldn't join them by making sculptures out of needlessly slaughtered animals.. you don't have to do anything with it, just destroy it... its sad but, the only way..

I would suggest selling this batch and all Ivory found and confiscated and use the proceeds to go after the poachers! Maybe this cause and effect will make the poachers think twice. Is it still raining?

I believe the normal procedure is to destroy smuggled ivory but wouldn't it make more sense to polish carve it as whole tusks if possible, and put it on display for us all to enjoy. At international airports for example with the story of it origin. It just seams such a shame to destroy something so beautiful.

What a stupid idea !

So what would you do with them then????????????????????

I agreed when the guy said your idea was stupid.. why? .. because what you suggested is a big part of the problem in the first place. there are laws put in place

concerning ivory , more to do with conservation and morals , fact is people don't want to be looking at ivory sculptures knowing the horrendous way in which it was

taken from a marvellous creature.. rich people will always want and strive to get things they desire because they have the cash.. we shouldn't join them by making sculptures out of needlessly slaughtered animals.. you don't have to do anything with it, just destroy it... its sad but, the only way..

+1, so who knows how many of these creatures are slaughtered for the tusks they carry. So lets polish them up and display them, how perverse. They should either be shoved up the poachers arse (with zero polishing) or destroyed. Tragic. All because of idiotic superstitious bullshit, Poor bloody elephant and rhino, it'll stop only when the only ones that you see are in zoos and parks. Tragic.The smiugglers should get life. That might slow things down a bit, the poachers should lose their life.

I believe the normal procedure is to destroy smuggled ivory but wouldn't it make more sense to polish carve it as whole tusks if possible, and put it on display for us all to enjoy. At international airports for example with the story of it origin. It just seams such a shame to destroy something so beautiful.

hard to enjoy knowing how it got there.

I know how my meat gets on the table but I am sorry I enjoy meat.

I believe the normal procedure is to destroy smuggled ivory but wouldn't it make more sense to polish carve it as whole tusks if possible, and put it on display for us all to enjoy. At international airports for example with the story of it origin. It just seams such a shame to destroy something so beautiful.

What a stupid idea !

So what would you do with them then????????????????????

One idea might be to display the tusks alongside enormous photographs of the dead mutilated elephants.

We are all agreed that the killing of elephants for their tusks is unacceptable.

@ MILT

Good idea. Selling this ivory would also (hopefully) drive the price down as well making it less desirable source of income for the poachers and using the proceeds to go after the poachers would mean more chance of justice for the slaughtered elephant and (again hopefully) less elephants slaughtered in the future.

@jinners

The OP tells us that 30,000 African elephants were slaughtered last year. Perverse I don’t mean to be. Yes I would like to see them displayed for their beauty but with the story of their origin to educate the whole world about the elephants’ plight. Execute the poachers agree 100%

@ Malcyx

I think people do want to see ivory for its beauty in the same way people enjoy seeing the pyramids. There are many beautiful things that were built by slaves who were murdered when they were no longer useful or didn’t work hard enough. Should all those things be destroyed? I don’t think so. With them being display around the world would it make them less desirable to the rich buyers? I’d hope so.

I believe the normal procedure is to destroy smuggled ivory but wouldn't it make more sense to polish carve it as whole tusks if possible, and put it on display for us all to enjoy. At international airports for example with the story of it origin. It just seams such a shame to destroy something so beautiful.

hard to enjoy knowing how it got there.

I know how my meat gets on the table but I am sorry I enjoy meat.

Are you serious to compare meat from 'livestock-animals', farmed for human food purpose, with elephants, worth of being protected, that are wildlife animals, killed only for their tusks - reason of greediness and profit, or even worse to use the ivory for some Chinese quack-salver elixir, were health benefits are not at all scientifically proven. Are you really serious?

NOPE .......

I think the airport displays are a GREAT idea - put the mug shots of any and all involved and caught right there with it decrying the practice of obtaining/slaughtering beautiful animals along with current statistics and maybe some coverage - age appropriate ......

Put it right out there so many many travelers can see this....don't let these animals die in vain - let their last gift to this world contribute to an education - let them shine.....

Make it a display/deterrent for everyone - young/old/guilty/ignorant/rich/poor......

Edited September 1, 201312 yr by pgrahmm

I believe the normal procedure is to destroy smuggled ivory but wouldn't it make more sense to polish carve it as whole tusks if possible, and put it on display for us all to enjoy. At international airports for example with the story of it origin. It just seams such a shame to destroy something so beautiful.

hard to enjoy knowing how it got there.

I know how my meat gets on the table but I am sorry I enjoy meat.

Are you serious to compare meat from 'livestock-animals', farmed for human food purpose, with elephants, worth of being protected, that are wildlife animals, killed only for their tusks - reason of greediness and profit, or even worse to use the ivory for some Chinese quack-salver elixir, were health benefits are not at all scientifically proven. Are you really serious?

No. Of course I am not trying to compare Elephants with animals breed for human consumption. If you read post 19 you will see how little I think of the poachers.

I know how the animals we eat, suffer during their life and at their death, but I still enjoy eating meat despite this.

NOPE .......

I think the airport displays are a GREAT idea - put the mug shots of any and all involved and caught right there with it decrying the practice of obtaining/slaughtering beautiful animals along with current statistics and maybe some coverage - age appropriate ......

Put it right out there so many many travelers can see this....don't let these animals die in vain - let their last gift to this world contribute to an education - let them shine.....

Make it a display/deterrent for everyone - young/old/guilty/ignorant/rich/poor......

Exactly. The idea of destroying it seems to me like, lets get rid of it and pretend this disgusting trade doesn’t go on. How about adding a phone number to the display so people ring in with names of the rich people with illegal ivory in their possession. I don’t like the idea of grassing people up but in this case no problem.

The thing is by having a legal trade and not destroying it the Illegal tusk have a place to go in corrupt countries. By outlawing it all is much more practical to check it. That is why people don't like it that Thailand has ivory trade because many tusks from Africa end up as Thai tusks.

Its just a problem of enforcing it, that is why destroying it is the best way.