Largest Illegal Ivory Seizure Ever Leads to Criminal Investigation

6/4/2004

From: Elizabeth Wamba of IFAW (Kenya), 254 2 570540; ewamba@ifaw.org or Chris Cutter of IFAW (U.S.) 508-737-4623; ccutter@ifaw.org Web: http://www.ifaw.org

NAIROBI, Kenya, June 4 -- The Lusaka Agreement Task Force (LATF) has announced it is taking unprecedented actions to investigate a massive illegal haul of African elephant ivory in its efforts to crack-down on the deadly trade. This move was today applauded by IFAW (the International Fund for Animal Welfare -- http://www.ifaw.org ), which campaigns globally to protect elephants and other wild species from the threats of commercial trade.

The 6.5 metric tonne ivory haul was seized in Singapore two years ago and is the single largest seizure of illegal ivory since the trade was banned by the U.N. Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES) in 1989.

The ivory was quietly returned to Africa earlier this year, so as not to compromise the ongoing investigation against those involved, and handed over to LATF for it to continue investigating the crime. The ivory is currently being held in Kenya by the Task Force.

Scientists from Africa and North America are cooperating on the research and hope that by using modern techniques such as DNA analysis and forensics technology they can identify which populations of African elephants the ivory has come from. Not only will this assist with the criminal investigation, but this information will also help conservation groups, such as IFAW, to identify which elephant populations are being targeted and threatened by poachers to feed the demand for illegal ivory.

Information already gathered by LATF through traditional investigative procedure, has already led to several arrests, and indicates the consignment was packed in Malawi and moved through South Africa before the interception in Singapore. LATF has been working closely with the Zambia Wildlife Authority, Anti- Corruption Bureau of Malawi, Interpol, World Customs and others in the investigations.

"It is disappointing that the CITES Secretariat and several law enforcement agencies in the Far East, all of whom were invited to the LATF consultative meeting, have declined to participate," noted James Isiche, East Africa Regional Director for IFAW.

"There is more than ample evidence indicating that this shipment was intended for the Japanese market," added Isiche. "If Japan is truly serious about its claims to exerting firm control over illegal domestic ivory trafficking, it would have been among the first and most conspicuous participants in the current investigation. But as far as we know, Japan has avoided involvement in this inquiry.

There is clear evidence that this consignment involved the criminal collaboration of a large ivory syndicate in the Far East, and in this case Japan. The existence of a very large, illegal ivory market in the Far East is the primary financial motivation for the illegal slaughter of thousands of elephants a year in Africa. Some of the tusks have "Yokohama" printed on them," commented Isiche.

"We fear Japan's support for legalized trade in elephant ivory at CITES is having undue influence upon its obligations to the world community to suppress criminal trafficking in illegal ivory," said Isiche.

"LATF hails all cooperating parties in this endeavor including IFAW for their invaluable contribution to the investigations and examination of this ivory. The investigation is a big challenge, as it will require unearthing and exposing all the players in the syndicate. The outcome of the investigation is intended to facilitate the prosecution of the perpetrators of this crime, whoever they may be, and formulate strategies to pre-empt recurrence of similar crimes," said Emily Kisamo, LATF director.

"LATF's noble efforts to determine the origin of the ivory and the criminals involved are a difficult but critical undertaking. IFAW is proud to assist these efforts and to work with the LATF team in ensuring that wildlife crimes such as these are reduced in order to save our biodiversity," said Isiche.

The Lusaka Agreement Task Force, which includes officers from Kenya, Lesotho, Tanzania, Uganda, Congo Brazaville, and Zambia was established in 1997 to carry out the provisions of the Lusaka Agreement on Cooperative Enforcement Operations Director at Illegal Trade in Wild Fauna and Flora. That agreement, negotiated in Lusaka, Republic of Zambia, with support from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in 1994 went into effect in December 1996.

About IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare)

Founded in 1969, IFAW is an international animal welfare and conservation organization that works to protect wild and domestic animals and to broker solutions that benefit both animals and people. With offices in 15 countries around the world, IFAW works to protect elephants, whales, great apes, big cats, dogs and cats, seals and other animals. To learn how to help IFAW protect animals, please visit http://www.ifaw.org