Ivory items seized in Alicante
Wares found for sale on the internet
NUMEROUS items made of ivory have been seized by the Guardia Civil in Alicante province, which they detected for sale on a well-known secondhand goods website.
The six vendors face possible criminal charges and fines, since ivory is a part of a protected animal so certification of its legal precedence is required to sell it, under the CITES convention to protect endangered species.
Selling them on the internet offers vendors far-reaching publicity and above all anonymity, noted a Guardia Civil spokesman, but makes it very hard for clients to determine the legality of the transaction or precedence, as there is often no invoice for the sale or certification for the origin of the object.
Officers from the environmental protection service (SEPRONA) contacted the vendors between June 16 and 28 to arrange interviews. At these meetings, they checked if the sales complied with the requisites, such as providing an invoice and having a CITES reference number for the items.
Since none of the suspects were able to do this, they were issued with proposed fines for infringing the law against contraband.
The confiscated pieces included a figurine of a Japanese geisha, two busts of women, two figurines of a pair of African people, and a tusk carved with an African face, on sale for a total of €690 by a person in Onil.
In Alicante, one vendor was offering five figurines of birds for €500, and another a pipe for €600.
There was also a crucifix for €385 from Pilar de la Horadada, three necklaces for €210 from Almoradí, and two clothes brushes for €200 from Torrevieja.
The items have been deposited at customs’ facilities in Alicante until they can be tested to confirm they are really made of ivory.
If they are, the six suspects could have committed a contraband offence or trafficking in protected species, or even both.
Otherwise they could still be charged with fraud for false advertising.