Putting a Stop to the Illegal Ivory Trade: Malaysia looks to private wildlife network to help with crackdowns

By Aliza Kempner

The Malaysian government is getting serious about ending the illegal ivory trade and is calling on the wildlife trade monitoring network group TRAFFIC for guidance.

Over the last five years, Malaysian ports have seen close to 45 tons of illegally traded African Elephant ivory pass through. Under the new program, employees of the Malaysian Customs Department will receive ivory identification training, discuss smuggling techniques and routes, and talk about opportunities and solutions for ending Malaysia’s role as a transit hub for the pricey and harmful commodity.

Participating officers include those specifically assigned to oversee the implementation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) regulations.

Read more about what TRAFFIC has to say about this innovative program.