Use of concealment methods

06 USE OF CONCEALMENT METHODS

Traffickers exploit weak, ineffective, and inconsistent port controls to smuggle illicit goods across the globe. Freight containers are often targeted for the shipment of illegal wildlife products, which are smuggled alongside bulk legal commodities using concealment methods that can range from crude to sophisticated.

Ivory and rhino horn in particular are often cut into smaller pieces, packaged into multiple boxes, bags or sacks, and covered with large quantities of legal products such as dried or frozen fish, plastic for recycling, agricultural products such as beans, nuts, or fruit, or other items in an attempt to avoid inspections or raising the suspicions of authorities.21 New means of concealment are invented all the time, including camouflaging the contraband by painting it or encasing it inside other objects. False declaration of the goods on shipping documents is another method frequently used to conceal the illicit cargo.

The Chen OCG had an established business in Nigeria exporting rosewood to China and had the infrastructure already in place in terms of contacts in Nigeria and access to shipping routes. It is likely that the Chens saw the lucrative criminal opportunity available in ivory trafficking and decided to use their legitimate business operations to facilitate their involvement in this illicit trade. The network wrapped the ivory in plastic bags and concealed it inside custom-made wooden crates, which were then hidden at the back of the shipping container behind tightly stacked timber planks. This concealment method was repeatedly used on all known shipments and seizures connected to the Chen OCG. This was likely a favoured concealment method not only because of the Chens’ existing timber business, but also due to timber planks being heavy and cumbersome to move so they could potentially act as a deterrent to customs officers from fully unloading a container during an inspection.

In addition to this technique, the network also made false declarations of the goods on shipping documents to avoid raising suspicion and deter potential inspections. The shipments that entered China through Yantai port in August 2017 and February 2018 were both declared as red meranti timber planks originating from Malaysia and accompanied by a forged certificate of origin.

The Wildlife Justice Commission’s analysis of reported major ivory seizures between 2015 and 2019 found that timber continues to be the dominant concealment method used for ivory shipments, accounting for over one third of detected shipments during this period. 22

Key finding 6

The Chen OCG used their established timber business in Nigeria as a cover to smuggle ivory, and wooden crates and timber planks as the concealment method. Analysis of major ivory seizures shows that timber continues to be the dominant concealment method used for ivory.

Image 1: Timber planks used as cover material for the ivory shipments. Credit: China Central Television (CCTV).

Image 2: Custom built wooden crates used to conceal the ivory. Credit: China Central Television (CCTV). Image 3: Ivory wrapped in plastic and hidden inside the crates. Credit: China Central Television (CCTV).