A Philadelphia art store owner has been charged with smuggling tons of banned elephant ivory into the United States. He paid to have the ivory carved and stained abroad to look old. Modern African elephant ivory is banned to protect the elephant population.
Photo: Bill Butcher/USFWS
I say shoot him dead!
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Federal investigators allege the owner of an Old City African Art store was also involved in selling about $1 million worth of illegal elephant tusks.
“This ivory represents one of the largest ivory seizures in the United States,” said Ed Grace from the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
Investigators contend the tusks were all being sold out of an Old City store on 3rd Street just north of Market.
The owner of the store, 68-year-old Victor Gordon, has been arrested and is facing several felony counts related to the alleged smuggling ring.
Investigators claim Gordon would hire someone to buy the tusks in Africa, have them craved and then stained to look old.
Elephant tusks from before 1989 are legal to sell.
“It alleges that he sold the carvings to customers at his store in Philadelphia, falsely representing the items to be antiques,” said Special Agent Sal Amato with the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
If convicted, Victor Gordon could face a maximum of 20-years behind bars.
The dealer ought to be jailed.
They should give him a running start before letting go with a couple of Elephant guns.
Please keep us updated on what this man’s punishment will be. It’s interesting. The bad news is that there were tons of ivory; how horrible.