#49 is a number assigned indicating this seizure has a link(s) to the West African cartel and its ivory was DNA analyzed.
SEEJ-AFRICA THUMBNAIL:
- On July 21, 2019, and acting on Chinese intelligence, Singapore customs searched 3 containers enroute to Haiphong, Vietnam, from Matadi, Democratic Republic of Congo.
- The 3 containers, declared variously as tiama wood, conifer timber and wood chips, was found to contain 8.8 tonnes of ivory and 11.9 tonnes of pangolin scales.
- After Chinese investigation, seven nationals were charged and convicted to a total of 63 years jail and $USD 522,000 in fines between them.
- DNA analysis indicated that much of the ivory was from the KAZA Transfrontier Conservation Area but had connections to previous East African shipments.
Singapore seizes record haul of smuggled elephant ivory
Agence France-Presse in Singapore
Tue 23 Jul 2019 Last modified on Tue 23 Jul 2019 10.01 BST
Singapore has made its largest ever seizure of smuggled ivory, impounding a haul of nearly nine tonnes of contraband tusks from an estimated 300 elephants, according to authorities.
The illegal cargo, discovered on Sunday in a container from the Democratic Republic of the Congo also included a huge stash of pangolin scales – the third such seizure in as many months.
Officials said both the ivory and pangolin scales were in a container declared to be loaded with timber destined for Vietnam and passing through Singapore, a major transhipment hub for global trade.
On inspection, authorities found 8.8 tonnes of elephant ivory, the national parks board, customs and immigration and checkpoints authority said in a joint statement.
It said the ivory haul was valued at $12.9m (£10.4m) and was the largest seizure of elephant ivory in Singapore to date, and was estimated to have come from 300 African elephants.
Also found in the container were 11.9 tonnes of pangolin scales estimated to be worth about $35.7m. The scales were estimated to have come from 2,000 of the mammals.
It brought the total haul of pangolin scales since April to 37.5 tonnes, worth $112.5m…………..
