I just saw this on a quick news blip and wondered if anyone is able to add details or a link to the report?
From my understanding of the news report- good or Bad-- Dubai is a center of of exports to China and other eastern countries where tons of ivory are being shipped yearly.
Frank

quote:

Originally posted by Frank Martinez:

From my understanding of the news report- good or Bad-- Dubai is a center of of exports to China and other eastern countries where tons of ivory are being shipped yearly.
Frank

Sucks if true...

I know that The UAE is participating in the active pursuit to make the Cites agreements works and being a major shipping center it would be a logical location to find contraband. It is certainly a shame that the smugglers have found a way to exploit the natural flow of honest businesses as a means of also shipping the wares of poachers.

Dh15m ivory tusks seized at Dubai port

Ahmed Shaaban / 11 November 2012

Dubai Customs recently foiled an attempt to smuggle 215 ivory tusks — worth around Dh15 million — into the country through Jebel Ali Port.

According to a senior official, the contraband was extracted from 40 cartons, which according to the Customs declaration form, were said to be stuffed with white beans. Saeed Ahmed Al Tayer, Director of Jebel Ali Customs Centres, said the staff inspectors had doubts over the cargo coming from an African country, because X-ray scans showed discrepancies over some parts of the shipment.

Al Tayer spoke of the seizure: “A large amount of ivory tusks, extracted from around 108 elephants of different ages, were identified during the manual search.” Al Tayer said the weight, volume and smuggling technique, proved that the contraband was meant for trafficking. He continued: “The vigilant and intensively trained Customs inspectors have efficiently thwarted the attempt.”

Al Tayer added that the contraband has been referred to the Ministry of Environment and Water (MOEW), in line with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which the UAE joined in 1990.

“Having been examined by the MOEW, the seizure proved to be that of endangered Loxodonta

Africana as per Federal Law No11/2002 which streamlines international trade in animals and plants liable to extinction.”

Al Tayer revealed how ivory smugglers illegally kill scores of elephants and hippopotamuses, to later sell their tusks for decorations as well as for use in the manufacturing of folk medicines. “Wildlife experts affirm an increasing demand from international gangs for smuggled ivory worldwide,” he said.

So far this year, Dubai Customs have busted 19 attempts to smuggle endangered animals, plants and their products into the country through the Dubai International Airport.

Some of the items seized included stuffed animals and birds, leather patches, horns, hooves and ivory tusks.

Ahmed Mahboob Musabah, Executive Director of Clients Management Division told Khaleej Times: “Some of the biggest busts in 2010 saw the seizure of 27kg of sandalwood, 53 patches of animal leather and 31 ivory products.”

The majority of items confiscated during such seizures originate from Africa and are then exported Europe-wide.

As per the statistics of the United Nations Environment Programme, crime syndicates earn around $22-31 billion every year by smuggling proscribed hazardous materials and exploiting and trafficking protected natural resources.

Feryal Tawakul, Executive Director of Community Affairs and Government Partnership Division, said smuggling endangered animals, plants and their products is incriminated in several international legislations, including the CITES Convention.

“The UAE Federal Law No11/2002, regulating international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora restricts exportation, transit, unloading, re-shipping, re-exporting or entry of any animals or plants or their parts or products without official approvals, certificates and attestation.”

(Separate box)

Dubai Customs: Seizure of endangered animals and plants and their products

Year No. of Seizures

2009 80

2010 118

2011 120

Therefore Dubai Customs Authorities are doing a pretty good job and Dubai as a Port Facility cannot be faulted for being a gateway to the Far East - its the bastards who are exporting the contraband that need to be caught.

quote:

Originally posted by fujotupu:
Therefore Dubai Customs Authorities are doing a pretty good job and Dubai as a Port Facility cannot be faulted for being a gateway to the Far East - its the bastards who are exporting the contraband that need to be caught.

I think all parties involved need to be prosecuted and (like you) commend the Dubai Customs officials for their diligence. Unfortunately, those on the other end of the supply line might escape prosecution if appropriate follow-up doesn't occur in the country where this shipment was destined to arrive. (China?)

Thank you Saeed. It would appear that the authorities are working hard to curtail the problems. It is unfortunate that the news media here isn't focusing on the efforts to stop the smuggling but is instead turning these reports into anti hunting issue.
Frank

There was an article in National Geographic recently about illegal ivory and the absolute gluttonous appetite by the asian market for it. I kept waiting for the anti-hunting angle but it wasn't there, on the other hand neither was the 'conservation by wise use' angle that is modern, regulated elephant hunting.