A massive effort to shut down illegal wildlife crime has resulted in almost 600 arrests across 109 countries, according to INTERPOL and the World Customs Organization (WCO). The Operation Thunderball mission conducted during the month of June led to 1,828 seizures of illegally traded ivory and pangolin scales, live plants and…
Authorities in Singapore say they’ve seized what is the largest illegal shipment of pangolin scales in the world in recent years, after discovering almost 13 tons in a container en route from Nigeria to Vietnam. Customs officials along with the National Parks Board inspected a 40-foot container at the Pasir…
The Chinese government distanced itself on Wednesday from the illegal wildlife trafficking of one of its citizens, who was sentenced this week in a Tanzanian court to 15 years in prison for smuggling almost two tons of elephant-tusk ivory. The trafficking involved ivory from at least 430 elephants. The 2015…
A scientific study of ivory traded by dealers across Europe proves that the sales are illegal, according to the activist groups that released the study Tuesday. Avaaz, working with the Elephant Action League, purchased 109 pieces of ivory in 10 countries across Europe in an attempt to demonstrate to European…
China says it has shut down 143 ivory retail outlets and 34 processing facilities since the country’s ban on ivory went into effect at the beginning of the year. The measures have been well received by Beijing’s African partners, said Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Lu Kang during Thursday’s regular…
An environmental watchdog group says its investigation of ivory smuggling in Mozambique uncovered evidence of a Chinese-led criminal network, operating through the southern city of Shuidong that they claim is a route for some 80 percent of all elephant-tusk ivory originating in Africa. The report, released Tuesday by the UK-based…
The Chinese government announced Friday that it will ban ivory trade by the end of 2017, doing so across the industry in phases that are planned for completion by this time next year. The plan targets commercial processing and sales, according to a translated release, in a process that will…
Vietnamese officials say they’ve seized about a half-ton of ivory tusks at a Ho Chi Mihn City port, after finding the ivory hidden within a timber shipment from Mozambique. The AFP reports the ivory was discovered as Vietnam Customs Administration officials completed a more extensive search of two shipment crates at…
Bostwana held firmly Monday to its decision to support an ivory trade ban, a move that stood in sharp contrast to that taken by the European Union and those of surprised neighboring African countries gathered at the CITES meeting in Johannesburg. “Although Botswana has previously supported limited trade, we recognize…