Singapore (VNA) – The Singaporean government saidon August 12 that it will impose a blanket ban on the domestic sale of elephantivory and products from 2021 as a campaign against illegal wildlife trade isbeing tightened.

The announcement was made on the occasion of World ElephantDay, after two years of consultations with non-government groups, retailers andthe public.

Singapore's National Parks Board said in a statement that thedecision will take effect on September 1, 2021. Violators will face a jail termof up to one year and fines if convicted. Traders can donate their ivory stocksto institutions or keep them after the ban takes effect.

Last month, authorities made their largest ever seizure ofsmuggled ivory, impounding nearly nine tonnes of contraband tusks from anestimated 300 African elephants valued at 12.9 million USD.

Public consultation by the government last year showed that99 percent of those who responded were in favour of a total ban.

Singapore has banned international trade in all forms ofelephant ivory products since 1990.

Such items could be sold domestically if traders could provethey were imported before that year or acquired prior to the inclusion of therelevant elephant species in an international convention protecting endangeredspecies.

The global trade in elephant ivory has picked up since 1989after the population of the African giants dropped from millions in the mid-20th century to around 600,000 by the end of the 1980s.-VNA