Irrefutable Evidence of Cartel Ivory Stockpiling - DNA Analysis Shows Tusks from Same Elephants in Different Shipments
SEEJ-AFRICA THUMBNAIL:
- It is reported that on May 1st, 2013, Dubai customs officers located the 1478 kg of ivory in a container, declared as wooden furniture, during a routine X-ray.
- This is one of 13 seized shipments between 2012 and 2019 that originated in Kampala and transited Mombasa.
- This shipment of 259 tusks was continuing to Malaysia. It has not been disclosed if that was the final destination.
DNA Origins and Analysis
- DNA analysis indicated that the ivory originated from elephants found primarily in Kenya and Tanzania with a smattering from Mozambique and Zambia. (indicated by blue circles in diagram)
- It was also found that tusks of two elephants had been separated pre-loading, with 2 singlets found in this shipment and the matching ‘tusk mates’ found in a ivory seizure 3 1/2 months previous in Mombasa. (#14 KEN, 01-13, 3827 kg)
- Likewise it was found that 3 tusk ‘singlets’ found in this shipment directly matched ‘tusk mates’ found in a Mombasa seizure in October, 5 months later. (#18 KEN, 10-13, 2898 kg ).
Hundreds of pieces of raw elephant ivory seized in Dubai
May 1st, 2013: Hundreds of pieces of raw elephant ivory have been seized in a shipment at Jebel Ali Port in Dubai, the Ministry of Environment and Water announced.
The haul, amounting to 259 pieces of ivory, was disguised as furniture being transported from an unspecified African country.
The ministry confiscated the shipment of ivory after it was stopped by Dubai Customs.
“The ivory was smuggled as furniture pieces,” said Sultan Alwan, the ministry’s assistant undersecretary for the external inspection sector. “Inspection by the ministry’s technical staff at the port revealed that it contained 259 pieces of crude ivory tusks taken from Loxodonta africana elephants.”…….
Last November, Dubai Customs seized a haul worth Dh15 million at Jebel Ali Port. The 215 tusks, hidden in 40 boxes of beans, came from 108 African elephants .
Ifaw estimates that up to 50,000 elephants are killed each year to meet the increasing demand for ivory.
In March last year, 1.5 tonnes was intercepted in Sri Lanka on its way to Dubai. The shipment was from Kenya, with ivory hidden in containers marked as plastic waste.
cmalek@thenational.ae
Source URL: https://www.thenational.ae/uae/hundreds-of-pieces-of-raw-elephant-ivory-seized-in-dubai-1.255274 (May 21, 2013)
