2 tons of ivory seized at Bangkok airport

A series of recent large-scale ivory seizures suggest an increased involvement of organized crime syndicates in the illicit ivory trade, connecting African source countries with Asian end-use markets. © Joyce Wu/TRAFFIC

Huge increase in elephant poaching sparked by demand from Asia
March 2010. Thai officials have seized two tons of ivory at Bangkok Airport. The packing cases containing the ivory, said to have arrived on an Emirates flight from Nairobi via Dubai, were labelled as mobile phone parts and appear to have been destined for Laos. This is thought to be Thailand's largest seizure of ivory. Thai officials valued the haul as being worth some $3.6 million. This seizure provides further confirmation, not that any was needed, that Bangkok has become a major hub for the illegal ivory trade.

239 tusks
The Thai Customs Department, acting on a tip, seized two pallets containing 239 tusks of African elephants. A Thai citizen was arrested as he attempted to collect the ivory.

Two Thai nationals were arrested on November 16 in Bangkok, and charged with illegally trading African ivory.

Domestic ivory trade loophole
The U.N. Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species banned all international ivory trade in 1989. Traders in Thailand have thrived in part because the 1989 ban did not address domestic trade. That loophole allows them to deceive authorities by claiming their African ivory came from domestic sources - a tactic that is effective because it can be difficult without DNA testing to tell the difference between African and Asian ivory.

13.7 tons of ivory seized in Asia in 2009
Thai Customs reported the seizure of approximately 2 tons of ivory believed to be from Africa and worth an estimated $1.5 million USD in several operations at Suvarnabhumi International Airport this year. On May 20, 2009, Philippines Customs reported the seizure of 3.5 tons of elephant tusks transported to Manila in two containers from Tanzania and worth an estimated $2 million USD. On March 6, 2009, Vietnam Customs seized 6.2 tons of African elephant tusks at a Hai Phong Port estimated to be worth more than $29 million USD. They seized a further 2 tons of elephant ivory shipped from Africa at the same port in August, 2009.

The remarkable surge in 2009 reflects a series of large-scale ivory seizures that suggest an increased involvement of organized crime syndicates in the trade, connecting African source countries with Asian end-use markets. The ETIS data indicate that such syndicates have become stronger and more active over the last decade. 

The international illegal ivory trade is considered the primary reason for the continuing decline in Africa's elephant populations. CITES signatories agreed to an international ban on the trade of African elephant ivory in 1989. Effective international wildlife law enforcement is crucial to ensuring this ban provides real protection for Africa's elephants. 

Buy Ivory, Buy Trouble
The latest seizure comes just days ahead of a "Buy Ivory, Buy Trouble" campaign being launched at Suvarnabhumi airport by the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) with technical and financial support from TRAFFIC. The campaign will urge travellers not to buy ivory.