KRA Suspends Official Over Sh570 Million Ivory

By Gilbert Koech

Kenya: A Kenya Revenue Authority officer who handled the Sh570 million illegal ivory shipment seized in Singapore was yesterday suspended.

KRA Commissioner General John Njiraini said in a statement the directors of the exporting company that handled the cargo and the driver of a truck used to ferry the two 20-foot containers containing the wildlife trophy are being sought.

“So far, the truck owner has provided statements to the investigation team but the driver is still at large. The directors of the exporting company have absconded but are being sought,” he said.

Njiraini said other KRA port staff are being investigated for “appropriate actions to be taken after relevant details emerge".

Customs officials in Singapore on Tuesday seized 3.7 tonnes of illegal ivory from Kenya in the second-largest haul since 2002.

The ivory was hidden among tea bags, the haul consisted of 1,783 pieces of raw ivory tusk, four pieces of rhino horn and 22 teeth believed to be from African big cats — cheetahs and leopards and were on the way to Vietnam.

Source: allafrica.com

Wildlife officials nab online exotic pet seller

RAKING IN THOUSANDS: 'Female customer' helps expose mechanic, suppliers

The Wildlife and National Parks Department succeeded in seizing three leopard cats from an Orang Asli in Kampung Simpai, Pekan

KUANTAN: FOR more than a year, a 30-year-old mechanic had been managing a website selling exotic pets and raking in thousands of ringgit each month from his customers through the Internet.

His online activities came to an end last week, however, when a female customer who called and enquired about the exotic birds on his website exposed his illegal business to the state Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan).

He was arrested on May 23 and the following day, the suspect led the enforcement team to one of his suppliers at an unnumbered house in Kampung Simpai Orang Asli settlement in Pekan. There, the team seized three leopard cats (kucing batu), 15 blue-crowned hanging parrots (burung serindit) and two hill mynahs (burung tiong mas).

The 51-year-old supplier, who owns an oil palm plantation at the settlement, kept the endangered species in several cages near his house and initial investigations revealed that he had been actively poaching and selling them to the middleman. Sources revealed that Perhilitan had been monitoring the website operator's activities and modus operandi for several months before laying the trap and managed to nab the suspect last week.

"He would post the photographs of the exotic pets on the website and would only deal through the phone. Customers were required to transfer the amount which had been discussed to a bank account number. "Upon receiving the payment, someone would deliver the animal to the respective buyer. We believe the suspect operates a syndicate and we are tracking down the other members," said a source.

Investigations revealed that the website operator purchased the leopard cats for RM250 each, parrots between RM80 and RM100 each, and hill mynah's at RM15 each before selling them at RM1,500, RM600 and RM50, respectively.

State Perhilitan director Khairiah Mohd Shariff said the department was in the midst of identifying the other suppliers, believed to be Orang Asli at nearby settlements who have been providing endangered animals to the syndicate. She said Perhilitan had recorded statements from both the suspects before releasing them on bail.

Source: NST