It was the biggest case of suspected ivory smuggling uncovered in Shanghai since 1949.

The ivory was packed in a container below a stack of Kenyan rosewood and was detected while being X-rayed at an inspection station in Shanghai's Waigaoqiao port.

The authorities became suspicious after reading the customs declaration made by a trading company in Shanghai on August 28.

The official who read the declaration found many suspect points: The English name of the cargo given in the declaration was different from that on the invoice; and the declared amount was obviously larger than the capacity of the container, which aroused suspicion because more tax would have to be paid on a larger amount.

The official who checked the declaration then issued instructions that the shipment should be closely checked.

On August 30, the container was sent to the inspection station, where the image analysis showed there were dozens of bundles at the bottom of the container that were not shaped like rosewood.

When the container was opened for examination, inspectors found 64 bags of African ivory with a combined weight of 3,334.6 kilograms.

There were 303 complete tusks and 408 pieces that had been cut.

The largest piece of ivory weighed more than 10 kilograms and the smallest about 1 kilogram.

The case is still being investigated.

Zheng Jianmin, deputy director of Shanghai customs, said: "To severely crack down on the smuggling of ivory and products from other endangered species is our legal and sacred responsibility."

Shanghai police have tracked down 45 ivory-smuggling cases since 2001. One suspect has been arrested. Twenty people have been prosecuted, two of who have been convicted and sentenced.

Zheng said that confiscated ivory is usually handed over to the city's Endangered-Species Export and Import Administrative Office.

(China Daily September 27, 2002)