Illegal ivory: where does it come from, where does it go? | The Economist

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Elephant poaching is most prolific in two areas of Africa, the
savannas of Mozambique and Tanzania, in East Africa, and in West Africa, a forest region called TRIDOM, which spans Gabon, Congo Brazzaville, and Cameroon.

Weak governance in these countries enables poachers to operate
with relative impunity. Poachers are paid $80 to $100 per kilo of ivory.

Research by the Environmental Investigation Agency reveals that most ivory from Mozambique is shipped from the city of Pemba.
Traffickers typically bribe custom officers $70 per shipment to turn a blind eye.

Tusks are hidden amongst legitimate cargo in shipping containers. 70 percent of the world’s ivory is destined for China,
but investigators have discovered traffickers use indirect routes to avoid detection. A typical route could be via South Korea,
where the shipment is less likely to be searched by customs.

Once in South Korea, corrupt freight agents take a cut of around $450,000 to help move the shipment on to its next stop, Hong Kong. Here, customs officials clear what appears to be
to be a routine shipment that originated from South Korea.
The shipment will be moved one more time, by sea, to Shanghai.

On arrival, the gang will transport the tusks overland to its final destination, the Chinese city of Shuidong. Most of the world’s
illegal ivory comes here. By now, the ivory is valued at $750 per kilo. The gang can expect to make upwards of $1.3 million for their shipment.

The illegal ivory trade is worth millions of dollars a year. If it’s not stopped, African elephants could become extinct within decades.

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