More than 520 pieces of ivory and its products were seized in 13 trafficking cases in China, the world's biggest ivory market, Customs officials said today.
In one of the cases, a suspect attempted to smuggle seven pieces of ivory and ivory products through the Beijing Capital International Airport.
Beijing Customs said most of the smugglers are Chinese people working in Africa where they have access to cheap ivory and ivory products, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
On December 30 last year, China, the biggest consumer of ivory products, announced a phased schedule to stop part of ivory processing and sales by March 31 and to eventually stop all ivory processing and sales by the end of this year.
The ivory and ivory products are under the protection of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
Reports said around 20,000 elephants continue to be killed illegally each year across the African continent.
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