Environment
Police drop ivory smuggling case against PM

afrol News, 14 June - Norwegian police today dropped the case against Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik, who had smuggled ivory from Nigeria and Mozambique. Although "illegal actions have occurred," the police did not want to hold the PM responsible for receiving official gifts from fellow Heads of State.

Two ivory tusks and one ivory jar can now be returned from the Customs Directorate to the PM Office, according to a press release from the investigating police commissioner. The items - illegally imported according to the CITES convention on trade with endangered species - where given to Mr and Mrs Bondevik when on official visits to Africa. The PM, his wife and his staff had not opened the presents while in Africa, and were therefore not aware of their illegal content, Bondevik had defended himself.

After the illegal imports were revealed by Nettavisen.no, a police investigation against Bondevik was initiated. Today, the case was however dropped "because the PM was not personally involved in the gifts," police officers told Nettavisen.no. 

Although the record quick investigations had left no doubt of the illegality of the import, "no single person can be held legally responsible," the police concluded. In other cases of illegal ivory imports - which mostly happen due to ignorance - heavy fines are given. The police investigator however excused herself, saying this special case could "not create precedence." 

On a roundtrip on the African continent, Mr and Mrs Bondevik received several official gifts from their hosts. In Nigeria, they were given two tusks and a jar decorated with ivory by the Nigerian Parliament. In South Africa, Mrs Bondevik was given two purses made of snake hide by President Thabo Mbeki. The couple further received a carved ivory jar from President Joachim Chissano when visiting Mozambique. 

The trade in ivory has been prohibited since 1975 unless it is documented that the tusks in question are over 25 years of age. This is not the case for the ivory given Mr and Mrs Bondevik by their African hosts. 

Norwegian environmental organisations had called for a strong police reaction to these illegal ivory imports based on the symbolic importance of the case. They also point to that the prohibition of ivory imports and exports are the most universally known environmental regulation. Nettavisen.no claimed to have information that Bondevik indeed had studied the list of gifts but had not taken action.

There has not been an investigation into the origin of the ivory given to Bondevik in Nigeria and Mozambique. While the elephant populations in Mozambique remain at a rather healthy level (totalling 6,500 animals), populations in Nigeria are confined to a handful parks, totalling an estimated 200 animals. Nigeria and Mozambique are both parties to the CITES treaty, meaning they accept the export ban on ivory.

Sources: Based on Norwegian police and press

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