Post by Trade Coach on Feb 14, 2012 16:22:00 GMT 1
KAMPALA - The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) last weekend handed over illegal Elephant Ivory, Monitor Lizard skins and Rhino teeth worth Ush1.6b ($700,000) to the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA).
The trophies that are banned under the Convention in Trade in Endangered Species were impounded over the last three months destined for export.
The items were impounded at different customs points after lacking exportation documents.
According to Mr. James Kisaame, the enforcement assistant commissioner at URA, 176 pieces of Ivory weighing 162kgs, 189 pieces of Warthogs and Hippo teeth weighing 38kgs and 19 Monitor Lizard skins weighing three kgs were impounded.
Kisaame told reporters in Kampala that a suspect only identified as Nicolas was intercepted in Pakwach while trying to dispatch 10 pieces of Ivory weighing 27kgs, Warthog and Hippo teeth in November last year.
"They were wrapped in small packages, he handed them over to his in-law, a charcoal transporter for delivery to Kampala. One Okello was to receive them," said Kisaame. He added that despite the concealment in the charcoal bags, his personnel were able to recover the items, before arresting Nicolas.
On January 27 this year, the Uganda Revenue Authority also recovered 10kgs of Monitor Lizard skins, which were ferried out of Uganda on Lake Victoria.
Other items including 99 pieces of polished Ivory, were recovered in recent incidents.
Kisaame stressed that there are increasing cases of impounded illegal wildlife items, which may cripple Uganda's tourism industry. Tourism in Uganda last year contributed about $660m, which was about 9.2% contribution to the GDP.
He decried the weak laws that only punish a person found smuggling with a five-year jail sentence. This is under the East African Community Customs management act that prohibits the trade. Under the Act, a person found in possession of illegal wildlife items is fined Ush30,000 ($13) or a three months jail term.
He recalled other enforcement intervention measures where 100 pieces of Ivory weighing 35kgs were recovered from a Kampala-bound bus along Mbarara-Masaka highway, a Chinese national Li Wejian, who was arrested at Entebbe Airport while trying to export jewelry and other ivory pieces.
Other interventions also recovered 54kgs of Ivory that were being smuggled by Mr. Keita Mousa from Bujumbura to Kenya through Uganda.
Source: www.busiweek.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2377:ura-seizes-700000-animal-trophies-&catid=104:uganda&Itemid=1364
The trophies that are banned under the Convention in Trade in Endangered Species were impounded over the last three months destined for export.
The items were impounded at different customs points after lacking exportation documents.
According to Mr. James Kisaame, the enforcement assistant commissioner at URA, 176 pieces of Ivory weighing 162kgs, 189 pieces of Warthogs and Hippo teeth weighing 38kgs and 19 Monitor Lizard skins weighing three kgs were impounded.
Kisaame told reporters in Kampala that a suspect only identified as Nicolas was intercepted in Pakwach while trying to dispatch 10 pieces of Ivory weighing 27kgs, Warthog and Hippo teeth in November last year.
"They were wrapped in small packages, he handed them over to his in-law, a charcoal transporter for delivery to Kampala. One Okello was to receive them," said Kisaame. He added that despite the concealment in the charcoal bags, his personnel were able to recover the items, before arresting Nicolas.
On January 27 this year, the Uganda Revenue Authority also recovered 10kgs of Monitor Lizard skins, which were ferried out of Uganda on Lake Victoria.
Other items including 99 pieces of polished Ivory, were recovered in recent incidents.
Kisaame stressed that there are increasing cases of impounded illegal wildlife items, which may cripple Uganda's tourism industry. Tourism in Uganda last year contributed about $660m, which was about 9.2% contribution to the GDP.
He decried the weak laws that only punish a person found smuggling with a five-year jail sentence. This is under the East African Community Customs management act that prohibits the trade. Under the Act, a person found in possession of illegal wildlife items is fined Ush30,000 ($13) or a three months jail term.
He recalled other enforcement intervention measures where 100 pieces of Ivory weighing 35kgs were recovered from a Kampala-bound bus along Mbarara-Masaka highway, a Chinese national Li Wejian, who was arrested at Entebbe Airport while trying to export jewelry and other ivory pieces.
Other interventions also recovered 54kgs of Ivory that were being smuggled by Mr. Keita Mousa from Bujumbura to Kenya through Uganda.
Source: www.busiweek.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2377:ura-seizes-700000-animal-trophies-&catid=104:uganda&Itemid=1364