Jun 05 (News On Japan) - The Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested four individuals, including Nobumasa Daigo, a director of an ivory sales company, on suspicion of violating the Unfair Competition Prevention Act. The group is accused of falsely labeling elephant ivory as mammoth tusk—a material not subject to trade restrictions—and selling it via online auctions.
While international trade in elephant ivory is prohibited under the Washington Convention, mammoth tusks, from an extinct species, are not subject to the same restrictions—making them a loophole increasingly exploited in illicit sales.
Ivory, prized for its smooth luster, remains a major target of poaching and is the subject of global trafficking concerns. According to police, Daigo and his associates sold ivory products on major auction platforms while labeling them as "mammoth tusk" to avoid detection. They allegedly failed to disclose that the items were made of elephant ivory, deceiving at least four customers into believing the products were legal.
Daigo, 58, reportedly admitted to the charges, saying, "I labeled them as mammoth to avoid having the listings removed. I didn’t think the police would actually take action." His company had been properly registered to sell ivory through brick-and-mortar stores and its own website, but it also posted items on auction sites where ivory sales are banned, claiming they were made from mammoth.
A check of one such site revealed numerous listings labeled as mammoth tusks. Because mammoth ivory is not regulated, it has become a popular alternative to elephant ivory and is used to mask illicit transactions.
Legal experts warn that such practices undermine global conservation efforts. Lawyer Masayuki Sakamoto, an expert on ivory trade, stated, "Mammoth labeling is being used as a front for illegal ivory sales. Japan’s relatively open domestic ivory market has become a hotspot for illegal exports, further endangering elephants worldwide."
Daigo reportedly downplayed the seriousness of his actions, comparing them to littering a cigarette: "I thought it was no more serious than tossing a cigarette on the street. I didn’t expect a police crackdown."
Police believe Daigo and his group made around 2 billion yen from approximately 4,600 online transactions between 2022 and 2024. Investigations are ongoing into their full distribution network.
Source: TBS
