Singapore authorities seize ivory shipment worth S$1.3 million

Authorities at the Changi Airfreight Centre in Singapore have seized an air shipment of illegal ivory and pangolin scales worth an estimated S$1.3 million.

The discovery was reported by Singapore Customs and the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) in a joint statement. They revealed that the shipment had been labelled “complete wigs of synthetic textile materials”.

The shipment contained 255 pieces of raw ivory, weighing about 505kg in total, with a large quantity of pangolin scales weighing 324kg. It originated from Lagos, Nigeria and was headed for Vientiane, Laos.

These shipments are illegal as the elephants and pangolins are endangered species, protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites).

Those involved in illegal wildlife trade face a fine of up to S$50,000 per specimen, a maximum of S$500,000, and up to two years in jail.

(Source: The Straits Times)