January 3:

A 20-foot shipping container from Kenya declared to contain architectural stones is found to have inside it 779 ivory tusks weighing 1,323 kg and worth around HK$10.6 million. The tusks were packed in 40 sacks inside five wooden crates and were covered by stone plates.

April 30:

Customs officers seize 113 ivory tusks weighing 300 kg and with a value of around HK$3 million at Hong Kong International Airport. The consignment marked as containing spare parts came from Burundi in Africa and was due to fly on to Singapore.

July 18:

A 20-foot container said to contain planks from Togo is found to contain 1,148 ivory tusks weighing 2,183 kg with a value of around HK$17.46 million. The tusks were packed in 30 sacks and covered with wooden boards.

August 6:

In a joint operation with mainland customs, Hong Kong customs officers seize 1,120 ivory tusks in a container shipped from Nigeria. The tusks were found inside sealed wooden crates in Kwai Chung marked as containing 'Red Cam Process Wood'.

October 2:

A total of 189 ivory tusks weighing 769 kg and worth HK$11.53 million are seized in a container claimed to be carrying soya from the Ivory Coast, West Africa. The tusks were packed in linen and nylon bags and covered with bags of soya.

(HK Edition 10/11/2013 page3)