News Release

Environment Canada Investigation intoIllegal Importation of 30,000 Pieces of African Elephant Ivory Leads to Prosecution

Richmond, British Columbia - October 12, 2007 - Yuk Ming (Peter) Ho of Richmond, British Columbia received a $9,000.00 fine yesterday after pleading guilty in Richmond Provincial Court to illegally importing over 30,000 pieces of Africanelephant ivory.  Mr. Ho was also ordered to pay a further $9,000.00 to TRAFFIC, (a division of the World Wildlife Fund,) to support programs for the conservation of the African elephant, and to forfeit all of the ivory seized during the investigation whichwildlife officers have estimated to be worth over $100,000.00 at the retail level.

The penalty reflected the level of endangerment of the species involved as well as the commercial nature of the amount involved in the case.  This is the largest Canadian ivory case investigated by Environment Canada's Wildlife Enforcement Division in recent years.

The items seized by Environment Canada included various carvings, jewelry and other crafts which were all derived from African elephant.

Environment Canada's investigation established that while Mr. Ho was in Hong Kong in February, 2005 he sent himself the parcel in question using a false name and Hong Kong address.  The small carvings were initially detected by Canada Border Services Agency Officers at the International Mail Centre in Vancouver, who then referred the items to Environment Canada for identification and investigation.  The investigation was greatly assisted by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation in Hong Kong, who worked in tandem with Environment Canada to verify information regarding the export of the ivory involved in this case.  

Endangered species of animals and plants, including African elephant, are listed under the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).  African elephant and their parts are therefore protected under Canada's Wild Animal and Plant Protection and Regulation of International and Interprovincial Trade Act (WAPPRIITA) and its regulations.

Environment Canada is the lead agency responsible for implementing CITES on behalf of the Government of Canada.  CITES sets controls, through a permit system, on the international trade and movement of animal and plant species that are endangered, or have been, or may be, threatened due to excessive commercial exploitation.

For more information, please contact:

Micheline Brodeur
Senior Communications Advisor
(604)713-9539

Marko Goluza
Federal Wildlife Officer, Wildlife Enforcement Division
(604) 666-9082
(604) 209-5815 (cell)