Watchdog says Chinese town is major ivory smuggling hub

An Environmental Watch group says its investigation has found that a little-known town in southern China is a major hub for ivory smuggling by organized criminal gangs.

The Washington, DC-based Environmental Investigation Agency said that it uncovered a network of ivory trafficking syndicates operating out of Shuidong in Guangdong province, near Hong Kong.

The group said its investigators worked undercover posing as buyers to win the trust of a smuggling group and tracked one of its shipments from Mozambique. 

Syndicate members said theirs was just one of 10 to 20 ivory trafficking groups operating out of Shuidong.

Three syndicate members disclosed details of smuggling ivory from Mozambique's Pemba port to Shuidong by sea via Busan, South Korea.

SOURCE: NEWS24