Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - More than three tonnes of ivory reportedly bound for Cambodia seized in Mozambique

More than three tonnes of ivory reportedly bound for Cambodia seized in Mozambique

Content image - Phnom Penh Post
Authorities pose with some of the nearly 300 elephant tusks seized during a bust at the Sihanoukville Autonomous Port in December after being discovered in containers imported from Mozambique. A total of 3.5 tonnes of ivory reportedly bound for Cambodia was seized in Mozambique last Thursday. Photo supplied

More than three tonnes of ivory reportedly bound for Cambodia seized in Mozambique

A total of 3.5 tonnes of ivory reportedly bound for Cambodia was seized by authorities in Mozambique late last week, according to the NGO Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

CITES' information was based on a report from the Club of Mozambique and other local media reports. The amount of ivory was initially reported as 1.5 tonnes, but was later upped to 3.5 tonnes, with the shipment reportedly hidden underneath plastic bottles.

Customs officials in Mozambique hadn't responded to a request for comment as of Wednesday afternoon, and neither had CITES.

The bust took place on Thursday at the Port of Maputo, according to media reports.

Eng Touch, an official at Cambodia's Customs Department, couldn't be reached for comment on Wednesday, and several officials at the Ministry of Environment didn't respond to requests for comment.

Cambodia has seen several high-profile ivory busts in years past, and two Chinese nationals were arrested in relation to seizures in August and November last year.

However, no arrests were made in the most recent ivory bust in Cambodia, which took place in December at the Sihanoukvillle Autonomous Port, where nearly 300 pieces of smuggled ivory were discovered. The tusks were found inside containers that were imported from Mozambique by Cam Transit Import, which has been linked to other shipments of ivory smuggled into Cambodia in the past.

Observers have described Cambodia as a transit point for smuggled ivory since 2013.

In early 2017, the Ministry of Environment announced that Cambodia wanted to keep confiscated ivory for scientific research and exhibitions, though it had to get approval from the courts. The decision drew outcry from conservationists, who have long argued that it is better to destroy seized ivory to deter future smugglers, and who worried the ivory would not be secure in the government's custody.

Chin Malin, spokesman for the Ministry of Justice, said on Wednesday that he was still uncertain whether the courts would allow the Ministry of Environment to keep the ivory, instead of burning it as most countries do.

"For this case, I need to check with the specialised department," he said

MOST VIEWED

  • Joy as Koh Ker Temple registered by UNESCO

    Cambodia's Koh Ker Temple archaeological site has been officially added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List, during the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on September 17. The ancient temple, also known as Lingapura or Chok Gargyar, is located in

  • Famed US collector family return artefacts to Cambodia

    In the latest repatriation of ancient artefacts from the US, a total of 33 pieces of Khmer cultural heritage will soon return home, according to the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts. In a September 12 press statement, it said the US Attorney’s Office for the

  • Tina rebuffs ‘false claims’ over falling paddy price

    Agriculture minister Dith Tina has shed light on the trade of paddy rice in Battambang – Cambodia’s leading rice-producing province – in a bid to curb what he dubs a “social media fact distortion campaign” to destabilise the market. While acknowledging that the prices of paddy

  • Cambodia set to celebrate Koh Ker UNESCO listing

    To celebrate the inscription of the Koh Ker archaeological site on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, the Ministry of Cults and Religion has appealed to pagodas and places of worship to celebrate the achievement by ringing bells, shaking rattles and banging gongs on September 20. Venerable

  • Kampot curfew imposed to curb ‘gang’ violence

    Kampot provincial police have announced measures to contain a recent spike in antisocial behaviour by “unruly’ youth. Officials say the province has been plagued by recent violence among so-called “gang members”, who often fight with weapons such as knives and machetes. Several social observers have

  • PM outlines plans to discuss trade, policy during US visit

    Prime Minister Hun Manet is set to meet with senior US officials and business leaders during his upcoming visit to the US for the UN General Assembly (UNGA), scheduled for September 20. While addressing nearly 20,000 workers in Kampong Speu province, Manet said he aims to affirm