Trade in illegal ivory unchecked as dealers dodge restrictions
ARTS CORRESPONDENT ANTIQUES DEALERS have been accused of flouting laws to sell banned ivory, lying about its age to bypass sanctions despite a campaign led by the Duke of Cambridge to secure an outright ban.
A study has shown that three quarters of antiques dealers admit being aware of illegal trading, knowing colleagues or auctioneers who sell modern ivory by passing it off under the guise of still-legal pre-1947 artefacts.
The evidence is described as “disturbing”, with such traders condemned as perpetuating the slaughter of elephants for “purely mercenary motives”.
It comes after months of campaigning by the likes of the Duke of Cambridge, patron of the charity Tusk, and a Conservative manifesto committing to a total ban on ivory sales. Currently, the law states that only ivory products made after 1947 are banned, with historic artefacts still able to be sold.
Owners and institutions have argued there is “no public benefit” to restricting antique ivory works of art, pointing out that many national collections contain items from before 1947.
But a report by Dr Caroline Cox, from the University of Portsmouth’s School of Law, found: “Whilst none of the interviewees admitted to selling post-1947 ivory, many of them stated they either know of dealers or auctioneers who would sell post-1947 ivory, or had witnessed illegal ivory being sold in the UK. The ivory trade in the UK therefore depends on goodwill rather than the proper enforcement of the law.”
The report found there is no costeffective scientific method for buyers, sellers or dealers to verify the age of ivory, with 95 per cent relying only on “knowledge and experience” to judge. None of those surveyed or interviewed for the study said they had used scientific testing to check on items.
Dr Cox concluded that “there is a need for a significant structural change to the law governing the sale of ivory”.
She added: “This is required both to protect sellers of genuine antique ivory and to effectively police and enforce the regulations against sellers of post1947 ivory items.”
Among those who have urged change are Boris Johnson, the Foreign Secretary, William Hague, and Owen Paterson, a former secretary at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, who support a total ban.
Following the report, campaigners have called for the Government to take urgent action, highlighting the 2018 International Conference on Illegal Wildlife Trade as an ideal deadline.
Charlie Mayhew, chief executive of Tusk, said: “This report provides evidence many dealers know their industry is complicit in the sale of illegal ivory and consumers are being misled.
“As long as the Government allows the British ivory market to flourish in its current form – with modern ivory passed off as old – there will be a direct link from sale rooms and stall-holders to African savannah, with the market encouraged by traders leading to the killing of even more elephants.
“Britain’s intransigence is undermining its claim that it is at the forefront of international efforts to end the illegal wildlife trade.” Maria Mossman, founder of Action for Elephants, said: “This report presents disturbing evidence that some parts of the antiques trade are concealing a covert trade in illegal ivory. As long as a legal trade exists there will also be an illegal trade – this is the law of market dynamics and applies to any regulated commodity.
“Traders know this, yet, for purely mercenary motives, refuse to acknowledge their part in perpetuating the poaching. Other countries are taking the lead. We have seen China bring in a ban on its domestic trade and the US bring in a near-total ban.”
A spokesman for Defra said: “We are committed to bringing an end to elephant poaching and we will shortly be consulting on our plans for an ivory ban. We are doing more than ever to tackle the illegal wildlife trade, including investing £26 million to combat poaching on the front line and bring an end to this cruel trade.”