Asian Crime Syndicates Based in Africa Fuel Illegal Ivory Surge [Source: WWF, The Global Conservation Organisation ]
Asian-run organized crime syndicates based in Africa are being implicated in the increase in illegal trade in elephant ivory, says a newly released study by TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network of WWF and IUCN – The World Conservation Union. The report revealed that markets in China create a high demand for illicit ivory from Africa, which arrives either directly or through ports such as Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. It says Japan and Thailand are also important final destinations, whereas the Philippines mainly acts as a transit country linked to the major importers. Together, according to the report, these seven countries and territories account for 62 per cent of the ivory recovered in the 49 largest seizure cases recorded by ETIS.
