A significant seizure of elephant ivory in Thailand has shed light on the export trail from Kenya. Three tonnes of ivory, valued at Ksh 564 million and comprising 511 tusks, were discovered at a port in Thailand inside a container shipped from Kenya.
The shipment, containing 11 tonnes of tea leaves, originated from Mombasa and was destined for Laos. Documents from Thai customs officials reveal that the container was shipped by Indochina International Group Limited using container number FCIU5235796.
The cargo left Mombasa on 24th March aboard the CAPE MOSS, a container ship registered in the Marshall Islands. It arrived in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on 6th April, before proceeding to Port Klang in Malaysia, where the onward cargo was transferred to the RHL FELICITAS, a Liberia-registered vessel. The cargo ultimately docked at Laem Chabang port in Thailand on 25th April.
Investigation and Seizure ¶
Authorities in Sri Lanka, Singapore, and Thailand had been monitoring the cargo's movement due to suspicions of its contents. The consignment was addressed to Soupha Song Import-Export Co. Limited, a company registered in Laos.
The origin of the ivory from over 250 elephants remains unclear. Recently, President Uhuru Kenyatta burned 15 tonnes of ivory in a ceremony hailed as a landmark event.
