In the largest ever haul of ivory in China, a 3.6-tonne shipment from Kenya was seized in Shanghai. The consignment, intercepted at Waigaoqiao Port, included 64 packages of smuggled ivory containing 303 whole tusks and 408 tusks that were cut into smaller pieces. The heaviest piece weighed more than 10 kilograms.

The ivory was hidden in a six metre container and was declared as wood boards to the Chinese customs. However, the port authority became suspicious because the container's weight did not tally with the declared contents of wood. Officials also found that the English name in the declaration form and the Chinese one in the invoice did not match.

Paula Kahumbu, co-ordinator for Kenyan Wildlife Service, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (cites), said: "When examined with x-rays, dozen of bundles of cylinder-shaped objects were found hidden under the bottom layer of wood boards. A manual inspection led to a huge ivory haul.'

Kenyan wildlife authorities aver that the seizure is not linked to poached local elephants. Kahumbu is doubtful whether the container had even originated from Kenya. The Kenyan wildlife official's argument is based on the premise that export of such timber is considered illegal in the country.