New Delhi (NVI): Singapore has crushed ivory worth USD 13 million, from its largest ever seizure, in order to curb rampant poaching of elephants and prevent the stockpile from re-entering the market.
The ivory weighing nearly nine tonnes was destroyed to mark the World Elephant Day, recognised on August 12 every year.
Ivory tusks, chopped off after mostly killing African elephants, were placed in an industrial crusher and destroyed and the entire proceedings were live-streamed, according to media reports.
The seizure of illicit ivory was a result of inter-agency co-operation with Chinese authorities. It was seized by the by the National Parks Board (NParks) and Singapore Customs and the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA).
The shipment, packed into three containers from DRC en route to Vietnam, also included 11.9 tonnes of pangolin scales. NParks estimates that the ivory came from nearly 300 African Elephants.
According to NParks, samples from the ivory had been extracted prior to the crush, and analysis of the seized ivory is being carried out to identify where they were sourced from.
“This ivory crushing event, the largest globally in recent years, demonstrates Singapore’s strong determination and commitment to combat the illegal trade in wildlife,” said a statement released by the country’s National Parks Board (NParks).
The destruction of the ivory seized from various shipments in past years will prevent it from re-entering the market and will disrupt the global supply chain of illegally traded ivory.
Singapore had previously carried out an ivory crush in 2016, destroying 7.9 tonnes of ivory.
Between 2016 and 2019, at least six seizures including 12.5 tonnes of raw ivory and 24 pieces of worked ivory were carried out in Singapore.
-CHK
