Bangkok (VNA) - Thai police said that they have dismantled the country’s largest ivory smuggling operation in the past decade, arresting nine suspects accused of attempting to sell around 250kg of African elephant ivory through Facebook.
According to the wildlife crime suppression force, coordinated raids and seizures were carried out across seven provinces on May 7. Authorities confiscated ivory products worth an estimated 300,000 USD, including cut ivory pieces, ornaments and knife handles.
Patompong Thongchamroon from the Environmental Crime Suppression Division said the haul was the largest ivory seizure recorded in the country over the past 10 years.
He noted that previous ivory smuggling operations had mainly transported contraband by sea from Africa. The investigation began after an undercover police officer discovered a closed Facebook group allegedly advertising smuggled African ivory for sale in Thailand.
Following months of investigation, police arrested nine Thai nationals accused of administering the group and posting ivory sale listings online.
According to police, the suspects face charges related to the illegal possession and trade of protected wildlife products. The offences carry penalties of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of 1 million THB (about 30,800 USD), or both.
Both African and Asian elephants, the latter regarded as a national symbol of Thailand, are listed as endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. International trade in ivory has been banned under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora since 1990./.
