Police seize ivory worth 10 million baht in trafficking crackdown

- Crime, Courts, Calamity

BANGKOK — 11 May 2026, Thai police and wildlife authorities have dismantled a transnational illegal ivory trafficking network, arresting nine suspects and seizing more than 250 kilogrammes of ivory and wildlife products worth nearly 10 million baht ($270,000).

The operation, code-named “Broken Ivory: Operation Elephant Slayer”, was announced on Sunday by the Central Investigation Bureau, the Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Division and the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation.

Investigators said the crackdown targeted administrators of secret online trading groups allegedly involved in the illegal sale of ivory, dugong tusks and other wildlife remains.

Police launched the investigation after discovering a Facebook group named “Tusks and Animal Amulets”, where wildlife products were allegedly being traded illegally.

Undercover officers posed as buyers and later confirmed through forensic testing that the seized ivory originated from African elephants.

Authorities said the network had been operating for about one year and generated an estimated turnover of around 10 million baht.

Investigators found the ivory was smuggled from Africa by sea to Vietnam before being trafficked into Thailand through natural crossings along the Mekong River with the assistance of Vietnamese contacts working in Thailand.

On 7 May 2026, officers carried out coordinated raids at 11 locations across seven provinces — Samut Sakhon, Uthai Thani, Kamphaeng Phet, Chumphon, Songkhla, Chonburi and Chanthaburi — and arrested nine suspects under court warrants.

Among the items seized were 140 kilogrammes of raw ivory tusks, 40 kilogrammes of cut ivory pieces, ivory prayer beads, ivory powder, resin-compressed ivory, knives with ivory or antler handles, stingray tail parts, hawksbill turtle remains and equipment used to cut and shape ivory.

Authorities estimated the ivory and related products were worth about 7.5 million baht, while ivory-handled knives were valued at approximately 2.4 million baht.

All nine suspects reportedly confessed during questioning.

Police said further investigations would focus on Vietnamese intermediaries and import routes linked to the smuggling network.

Officials said much of the ivory had been carved into amulets, knives, prayer beads and Buddha statues for Thai buyers who believed ivory carried spiritual significance.

Thailand’s wildlife authorities said the country has never issued permits allowing legal possession of African elephant ivory under domestic law.

Officials said the results of the operation would be reported to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in Geneva to demonstrate Thailand’s commitment to suppressing illegal ivory trafficking under the 2015 Ivory Act.

The confiscated items will remain in the custody of the Department of National Parks until legal proceedings are completed, after which the ivory will be destroyed, authorities said.