Global News - August 2008
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Ivory smuggler sentenced to prison
Fri 15 August 2008 14:00 UK — North America,Elephants, Rhinos, Hippos
A woman that operated an art dealership as a front for an ivory smuggling operation has been sentenced to five years in prison.
The Environment News Service reported that Canadian citizen Tania Julie Siyam set up an import and export business supposedly selling art in Canada and Cameroon.
However, the company actually proved to be a front for an international ivory smuggling operation.
Operating from Cameroon, Ms Siyam recruited local artists and craftsmen, workers within international commercial shipping companies and several poachers.
Purportedly selling artwork, Ms Siyam also began to offer ivory via her numerous websites.
After US Fish and Wildlife Service were tipped off about the operation in 2002, it spent nearly two years gathering evidence before arresting the smuggler in 2004.
As a result of the investigation, which also involved wildlife officials from Environment Canada and the US Attorney's Office, a district judge found Ms Siyam guilty on four felony charges and sentenced her to five years in prison.
She was also fined $100,000 (£50,000). The news agency reported that the money will be used to fund elephant conservation projects in west Africa.
A recent report warned that poaching could put African elephants in danger of extinction by 2020.
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