17 Nov 2009

Thai police arrest 2 Thai traffickers of African ivory

Police have arrested two Thais for trafficking in African ivory, a crime that carries a maximum fouryear jail sentence, police said Tuesday.

Samat Chokechoima and Kanok Wongsarot were arrested on Monday in a sting operation in which Thai police posed as buyers of carved African ivory items, said Pol LtColonel Thanayos Gengkasrikit, spokesman of the Natural Resource and Environmental Crime Division.

The suspects face a maximum of four years in prison and fines of up to Bt40,000 under Thailand's Wild Animal Preservation and Protection Act and another fine up to Bt100,000 under the Customs Act for the import and export of illegal goods.

Described as "middlelevel operators", the arrest of Samat and Kanok was the result of a yearlong investigation involving Thai and US officials, along with the Freeland Foundation and the Asean Wildlife Enforcement Network (AseanWEN).

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