Nearly 280 pieces of ivory, apparently abandoned by wildlife smugglers in shipping containers, were uncovered by the authorities on Tuesday. The containers were reportedly imported from Mozambique in December 2016.
"When the containers arrived at the port we found strange objects in the scanners. We called for the company owner to open the containers but no one showed up," Lim Bun Heng, deputy prosecutor for Preah Sihanouk province, said.
Ivory, which is prized for its beauty worldwide, is illegal to buy or sell, but remains one of the most trafficked substances.
Ivory smugglers may believe that Cambodia is a weak spot on route for transporting the elephant tusks however the authorities have shown resilience and determination to put an end to trafficking. Last year Phnom Penh seized 1.5 tons of illicit ivory – one of the largest seizures in the country.
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Despite the substance’s value, Cambodia used to destroy contraband ivory, since common wisdom dictates that everything procured through criminal activity should be eliminated. Such goods provide a temptation that some corrupt officials cannot resist: if they yield to it, the stockpiles would be leaked to the market.
However, destroying precious elephant tusks does not seem to be an option for some activists, who believe that selling ivory stock would boost the country’s economy and encourage the nation to protect elephant populations.
Earlier this year, the Cambodian government has made a decision not to destroy contraband ivory stockpiles but to preserve them.
READ MORE: Kenya to Destroy $172Mln Worth of Illegal Ivory to Counter Poaching
