A black year: Major ivory seizures in Hong Kong 2013
Updated: 2013-10-11 06:57
(HK Edition)
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January 3:
A 20-foot shipping container from Kenya declared to contain architectural stones is found to have inside it 779 ivory tusks weighing 1,323 kg and worth around HK$10.6 million. The tusks were packed in 40 sacks inside five wooden crates and were covered by stone plates.
April 30:
Customs officers seize 113 ivory tusks weighing 300 kg and with a value of around HK$3 million at Hong Kong International Airport. The consignment marked as containing spare parts came from Burundi in Africa and was due to fly on to Singapore.
July 18:
A 20-foot container said to contain planks from Togo is found to contain 1,148 ivory tusks weighing 2,183 kg with a value of around HK$17.46 million. The tusks were packed in 30 sacks and covered with wooden boards.
August 6:
In a joint operation with mainland customs, Hong Kong customs officers seize 1,120 ivory tusks in a container shipped from Nigeria. The tusks were found inside sealed wooden crates in Kwai Chung marked as containing 'Red Cam Process Wood'.
October 2:
A total of 189 ivory tusks weighing 769 kg and worth HK$11.53 million are seized in a container claimed to be carrying soya from the Ivory Coast, West Africa. The tusks were packed in linen and nylon bags and covered with bags of soya.
(HK Edition 10/11/2013 page3)