Malaysia seizes 1,500 elephant tusks headed for China

[xchrom]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/dec/12/malaysia-seizes-elephant-tusks


Malaysian customs officers display elephant tusks that were recently seized in Port Klang, outside Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Photograph: AP

Malaysian authorities have seized an enormous haul of 1,500 elephant tusks worth RM60m (£12m), weighing as much as all the illegally traded ivory seized globally last year and marking the country's largest ever haul.

The shipment was estimated at between 20 and 24 tonnes, and discovered in two shipping containers by the customs department on Monday at busy container terminal Port Klang, near Kuala Lampur. It was en route from Togo in west Africa to China, and had been transferred from one ship to another in Spain.

"The two containers were found to be filled with sawn timber. Inside the wood there were secret compartments that were filled with elephant tusks," said state customs director Azis Yaacub. It is the fourth such seizure in Malaysia this year.

[staffjam]

1. Now what?

And what are the Malaysians going to do with the tusks?

[xchrom]

2. I don't know what Malaysia will do - but

African countries generally burn them.

Or so it seems.

[Nihil]

3. Usually they burn the confiscated tusks ...

Here's hoping that they throw the smugglers and the importers on the pyre as well,
just to make sure there is no repeat offence ...