Recently Thailand intercepted large shipment of illegal ivory coming from Africa bound for China. Every year there are many import shipments ceased by customs worldwide because they constitute illegal trade in endangered species. Any importer considering to import any kind of product made of species, mammals and birds, as well as plant species, must be ware of what are the requirements for importation, especially when intending to import into the United Stated or other countries in the West.
As there are many opportunities in import export business it’s best to stay away from dabbling in any kind of animal products in categories of fashion or decorative accessories. Ideally any importer should refrain from importing articles made of bone, animal skin, feathers as well as sea shells.
If you intend to import for example jewelry made of or inlaid with sea shells, be prepared your invoice will need to have the sea shell labeled with its appropriate Latin term, otherwise your shipment may be intersepted by Fish and Wildlife Department and inspected. The inspection, even if no violation is found, will cost you money and the extra costs will increase your landed cost of the product.
As sea shells, products made of bone, in part or in full, must be labeled with the appropriate Latin terminology. You cannot simply just say your imported product, whatever its nature, is made of bone without clear designation in Latin of the specific species.
Even when you may be on a luxury China tour or some tours in India that may include venturing out to some outlying village markets, you will often come across handicrafts embellished in bone or snake skins. Although you may be told the product is covered in a skin of a garden snake, be it a pair of earings or a jewelry box, if you are not sure, and the vendors are not typically sure either as they buy the skins from upcountry village suppliers, weather the particular snake skin is or isn’t on the endangered species list, don’t buy it!
Illegal ivory is any ivory that is not documented as being one hundred plus years old, thus even products carved out of ivory must carry certification of origin of the ivory. If you do not understand what you are buying, and that includes any bone, sea shell or tortoise products, best to stay away from buying and importing such articles no matter how attractive the artifact and its price.