BANGKOK — Thai authorities on Thursday arrested two men accused of being behind a transnational ivory trade network after seizing more than 290 pounds of African ivory.
Thailand is one of the top destinations for African ivory smuggling in Asia and has been threatened with international sanctions if it doesn’t show progress in combating the problem.
Police arrested Boon Ching Teo, 51, of Malaysia, and Sirichai Sridanont, 50, of Thailand, after seizing 51 pieces of African ivory Dec. 31 in the northeastern province of Surin, national police chief Gen. Somyot Pumpanmuang said. The ivory weighed about 297 pounds and was worth about $176,000.
The suspects were accused of trading and smuggling African ivory through Thailand’s southern border and face a maximum prison term of four years if they are convicted. Teo’s traveling documents showed he had made frequent visits to Thailand and had visited Kenya and other African countries, Somyot said.
Poachers have killed tens of thousands of African elephants for their tusks in recent years to meet demand for ivory in Asia. China has imposed a one-year ban on ivory imports as it faces criticism that its citizens’ huge appetite for ivory threatens the existence of Africa’s elephants.