MANILA - Philippine customs authorities have seized an estimated 3.5 tonnes of elephant tusks from two containers sent from Tanzania, one of the largest such consignments found in the country, Philippine officials said on Wednesday. According to press agency Reuters, the tusks were bound for China, where there is thriving demand. There, still according to Reuters, which quotes anonymous officials, the tusks are mainly manufactured into chopsticks or mahjong chips.

The consignment arrived in Manila in March and immediately drew suspicion because it was said to contain plastic, said Customs police chief Nestorio Gualberto.
"What kind of plastic materials does Tanzania produce?" he said. "We suspected right away that these were elephant tusks."
No one came to claim the consignment and there have been no arrests.
Officials said some of the tusks weighed as much as 25 kg each. They valued the consignment at over $2 million, although that appears to be a conservative estimate given that in some countries prices are at or above $1,500 per kg.
While there is an illegal market in the Philippines for religious icons made of ivory, officials suspect the tusks were bound for China. Three years ago, about 6 tonnes of elephant tusks from Zambia were also seized in Manila's container port.

Besides, ivory is not a very appropriate material for mahjong sets, since, because of growth rings, they can be easily distinguished.

So, if the illegal shipment was bound for China, it probably was meant for other purposes than for the making of mahjong sets.

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