67.5 kg of illegal ivory intercepted in Beijing

MEDIA RELEASE
21 February 07

67.5 kg of illegal ivory intercepted at Beijing airport

China Customs seized 67.5 kg of illegal elephant ivory, representing approximately seven elephants, from a female passenger arriving in Beijing from Addis Abba, Ethiopia on Tuesday. A luggage search revealed half-finished mahjong sets, bracelets, necklaces and other ornaments made of ivory.

The passenger, from the Democratic Republic of Congo, was standing in the nothing-to-declare customs line at the Beijing Capital International Airport, when the surprise inspection was conducted.

Elephants are protected under an Appendix I listing of CITES (Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species) law, with international trade for commercial purposes being strictly prohibited. However, since 1999, several CITES decisions have resulted in Appendix II listings for some populations, meaning certain trade is permitted with special permits from CITES. Additionally, in 1997, a one-off stockpile sale of 45 tonnes was even approved for Japan.

In recent years, large amounts of elephant ivory have been confiscated in many Asian ports. In 2006 alone, over 22.5 tonnes of ivory was confiscated; this is suspected to represent only a fraction of the actual illegal trade. The wholesale prices of ivory in Asia have skyrocketed, going from $100/kg in the late 1990’s to the current staggering $750/kg.

Rebecca Keeble, IFAW Asia Pacific Campaigns Officer applauded the seizure, saying this is an important victory in the fight against illegal ivory trade.

“Until all trade in ivory is banned and is subsequently enforced, elephants will continue to be killed for their ivory and loopholes will exist for laundering that ivory,” Ms Keeble said.

“CITES is failing in its mandate to ensure that trade in elephant products does not threaten the survival of this endangered species.”

In response to the increased poaching of African elephants, a proposal by Kenya and Mali has been submitted to CITES calling for a 20 year moratorium on the elephant ivory trade. The proposal will be up for discussion at the CITES 14th Conference of the Parties, in June in the Netherlands. IFAW strongly supports such a ban.

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