Global News - September 2007

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British man in court over ivory dealing

Tue 18 September 2007 13:15 UK — Europe

A man from Kent is to appear in court accused of trading ivory and other items from endangered species.

The Gravesend Reporter claims that Michael Francis Elliot, of Singlewell Road in Gravesend, is to appear at Southwark Crown Court on October 10th.

He is accused of keeping illegal specimens and selling goods made from endangered animals.

According to the report, the items Mr Elliot was caught with included eight pieces of hippopotamus ivory carved into elephants and eight carved into ivory walking stick handles.

Other illegal animal items found at Mr Elliot's address included sperm whale teeth, 24 ivory tusks and other objects carved from hippopotamus teeth.

Recently, British wildlife charities urged holidaymakers to be careful when buying souvenirs abroad as these could be produced from endangered animals.

Experts said that the trade in tourist goods was helping to push a number of species towards extinction.

Alan Knight, chief executive of International Animal Rescue, said: "We are pleased to hear that the law prohibiting trade in endangered wildlife is being rigorously enforced in the UK.

"The huge scale of this international trade threatens to have tragic consequences for significant numbers of endangered species unless the perpetrators are stopped and severely punished. Effective law enforcement sends out a strong message to wildlife criminals that their practices will no longer be tolerated."

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