February 26, 2010 – 10:30AM Thailand has seized two tonnes of elephant tusks from Africa hidden in pallets labelled as mobile phone parts in the country’s largest ivory seizure. Thai customs officials valued Wednesday night’s haul at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport at 120 million baht ($4 million). It is a further sign that Thailand is emerging as a hub for the illicit trade. Poaching of elephants in central and eastern Africa has intensified in recent years, with much of the illegal ivory exported to Asia. Seree Thaijongrak, the director of investigation and suppression bureau for the Customs Department, said that, acting on a tip, officials seized two pallets found to contain 239 tusks of African elephants. The consignment, which originated in South Africa, was labelled as mobile phone parts in a consignment destined for Laos – apparently to confuse customs officials, as Laos has an agreement with neighbouring Thailand not to check cargo in transit. A Thai national, however, attempted to pick up the cargo and was detained, Seree said. Customs officials suspect the tusks would have been crafted into trinkets and jewelry in Thailand. “This is the biggest seizure we have ever had,” Seree said. “This is a real accomplishment for Thailand. Normally, this would have gone right through but we got the tip-off.” Seree said smuggling of ivory from Africa was on the rise in Thailand as in much of South-East Asia. Ivory shipped to Thailand typically goes to carvers who fashion it into Buddhist statues, bangles and jewelry for sale to tourists or sale in other countries. Thailand is also a transit point for ivory forwarded to other markets such as China. …
Thai customs seizes two tonnes of elephant tusks
