This follows on from the seizure at the Jomo
Kenyatta International Airport of illegal ivory
Coastweek.com
5-13-11
Kenya Wildlife Services director Julius Kipngetich has said that K.W.S. intends to introduce sniffer dogs at the Mombasa port as part of measures to curb illegal shipment of ivory.
This follows on from the seizure at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport of illegal ivory destined for West Africa and purported to be from two non-existent embassies based in Nairobi .
The 115 pieces of elephant ivory weighing 1,304kg packed in 14 metal boxes had been disguised as diplomatic baggage.
However, they were detected and seized at about 9.30 p.m. by a joint security team comprising the Kenya Airports Police Unit, the Kenya Revenue Authority (Customs Department), and the Kenya Wildlife Service following a tip off.
The contraband, which was destined for Lagos , Nigeria and labelled as originating from Brunei (island in Asia ) and Papua New Guinea ( South West Pacific Ocean Island ) embassies in Nairobi had been brought to the airport by unidentified people.
Out of the 14 boxes, three were purported to be from the Embassy of Papua New Guinea while 11 were purported from the Embassy of the Kingdom of Brunei .
This incident follows closely a recent seizure where 2,033kg was intercepted by Thai Customs officials at Bangkok seaport on March 30, 2011 .
This had been shipped through the Mombasa sea port.
The elephant tusks valued at over KSh274 million being smuggled through a Bangkok port from Kenya was hidden in a shipment of frozen fish.
Article at: http://www.coastweek.com/3419_10.htm