January 3rd, 2013 - Hong Kong seizes 1323 kg of ivory from Mombasa
SNAPSHOT:
- Kenyan Authorities charged Fredrick Sababu Mungule (a clearing agent), James Ngala Kassiwa (a Kenya Revenue Authority officer) and Gideon Natali Onsinyo Nyangau (a Kenya Ports Authority employee) relating to this shipment.
- They were also charged with a 3827 kg ivory seizure made in Mombasa almost 2 weeks later. These charges are represented by court files CF 255/13 and CF 417/13 and still ongoing in Mombasa court. (see also #12)
- The same three, with the addition of another Kenya Revenue Authority officer, Nelson Ayoo, were also charged in relation to a 1833 kg seizure made in Singapore on January 23rd that had originated in Mombasa. That case is being tried separately as CF 754/13 and is also presently ongoing. (See #115)
- The same transport company (and same drivers) delivered the three ‘ivory’ containers to Mombasa port. It also delivered 3 more containers of ivory to Mombasa port in 2015 (see case’s #40 and #118)
- DNA analysis of this shipment showed the origin of the ivory to be primarily north west Mozambique stretching into southern Tanzania
HK Customs seizes ivory tusks from incoming container (Press Release)
4 January 2013
Hong Kong Customs yesterday afternoon (January 3) seized a total of 779 ivory tusks from a 20-foot container shipped to Hong Kong. The seizure was worth about $10.6 million.
Through risk assessment, Customs officers selected a container declared to contain “architectural stones” arriving from Kenya, Africa, for inspection. Using X-ray examination, the officers found the ivory tusks, weighing 1,323 kilograms in total, in the middle part of the container. Covered by stone plates, the ivory tusks were packed in 40 sacks inside five wooden crates.
Customs investigation is still going on to locate the smuggling syndicate members.
The Group Head of Ports and Maritime Command, Mr Wong Sui-hang, said today (January 4) at a press briefing that Hong Kong Customs would continue to co-operate with the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department and other law enforcement agencies to enforce the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance to deter the trafficking of endangered species………
