Man fined S$10,000 for smuggling ivory products

Channel NewsAsia 2 Aug 17;

SINGAPORE: A 33-year-old man has been fined S$10,000 for smuggling ivory products into Singapore, said the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) and Immigration and Checkpoints Authority in a joint news release on Wednesday (Aug 2).

Do Trong Hoang, whom Channel NewsAsia understands is from Vietnam, was stopped after he arrived at Changi Airport on Jul 14. AVA had received a tipoff about a potential sale of illegal ivory bird cage accessories and informed immigration authorities.

Two ivory bird cage accessories were found in his luggage and four ivory bracelets were found on him and his family who were travelling with him.

Do was arrested and the ivory products were seized.

It is an offence in Singapore to import, export, possess or sell any wildlife parts and species that are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna or Flora (CITES).

If convicted of illegally importing the ivory products, Do could be jailed up to two years, fined up to S$500,000 or both.