Français 简体中文 About Us

 

 

Home | China Report | Africa Report | Business | Lifestyle | Services
Strong UN, Better Africa
The 70th anniversary of the UN is an opportunity to assess both its and China’s role in promoting security and development in Africa
Current Issue
Cover Story
Table of Contents
Through My Eyes

 

Subscribe Now
From the Editor
Letters
Newsmakers
Media Watch
Pros and Cons
China Report
Africa Report
Exclusives
Nation in Focus
News Roundup
Business
Business Briefs
Business Ease
China Econometer
Company Profile
Lifestyle
Double Take
Spotlight
Science and Technology
Services
Living in China
Fairs&Exhibitions
Learning Chinese
Universities
Measures and Regulations

 

 

 

Media Links
Beijing Review
China.org.cn
China Pictorial
China Today
People's Daily Online
Women of China
Xinhua News Agency
China Daily
China Radio International
CCTV
 
 
 
 
 

 

The Latest Headlines  
 
Beijing Forest Police Smash Major Wildlife Trafficking Ring
By Richard Thomas
Share

Beijing forest police announced on October 12 the arrest of 16 suspects in a major wildlife trafficking case code-named "May 21," which led to the confiscation of wildlife products including 804.4 kg of ivory, 11.3 kg of rhino horn and 35 bear paws.

Beijing forest police told a press conference the seizure was the biggest ever in terms of the scale of the smuggling operations. Police said the total value of the haul was in the region of 24 million yuan (almost $4 million). 

The criminal gang behind the trafficking were said to possess their own processing factory, warehouses and vehicles for transportation. The three month operation uncovered a trafficking ring that led from Japan through Hong Kong to Chinese mainland, where the gang was said to operate across a network that ranged from Guangdong to Shandong and Beijing, using antique shops as cover for their operations and using online illegal trading and couriers for their distribution.

"TRAFFIC applauds Beijing forest police for this successful operation, which has helped dismantle an entire smuggling ring and the infrastructure that goes with it," said Zhou Fei, head of China Program of TRAFFIC, a wildlife trade monitoring network.

The Beijing forest police announcement came just days after China and the United States made a joint commitment "to take significant and timely steps to halt the domestic commercial trade of ivory" during the recent visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to the United States. In July, the United Nations passed a General Assembly Resolution on Tackling the Illicit Trafficking in Wildlife.

"The Beijing forest police operation is a clear demonstration of the Chinese Government's commitment to crack down on illegal wildlife trade and support international efforts to protect endangered species. As a Chinese proverb aptly says: 'Action is far more powerful than words,'" said Zhou.

Information from the Elephant Trade Information System (ETIS) database, which TRAFFIC manages on behalf of Parties to CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), indicates that ivory trade between Japan and China was first recorded in 2005 but really began developing from 2009.  Through 2014, some 56 seizure cases have involved nearly a ton of ivory, and rhino horn and a bear skin have been seized on at least two occasions.

According to information released at the press conference, since 2013, Beijing forest police has cracked 222 cases involving illegal wildlife trade and arrested 108 suspects. A total of 1,321 wildlife products worth around $7 million, including 1,527 kg of ivory have been confiscated.

"Over TRAFFIC's years of monitoring on physical and online illegal wildlife markets, we have provided information and capacity trainings to the forest police, and we look forward to continuing our support for law enforcement efforts by the Chinese Government and their international counterparts," said Zhou.

Beijing forest police have reminded members of the public not to consume illegal and endangered wildlife products and to report any suspicious activity to the police. They also confirmed their commitment to monitoring online and physical markets for illegal wildlife sales and to preventing poaching and illegal exploitation of wildlife.

 

 

 

Cover Story
-Service Before Self
-Written in Stone
-The UN and a New World Order
-Strong UN, Better Africa
 
The Latest Headlines
-Beijing Forest Police Smash Major Wildlife Trafficking Ring
-Xi Announces Major Measures to Support UN
-China Construction Bank Opens Branch in Cape Town
-Chinese President Makes Four-Point Proposal on Promoting Women's Rights

 

 

Useful Africa Links: Africa Investor | Africa Updates | AllAfrica | Africa Business | ChinaAfrica News | AfricaAsia Business | Irin News |
News From Africa | Africa Science | African Union | People of Africa | African Culture | Fahamu
| About Us | Rss Feeds | Contact Us | Advertising | Subscribe | Make ChinAfrica Your Homepage |
Copyright Chinafrica All right reserved 京ICP备08005356号