While walking down the alleys of the old city of Tripoli, one notices the increase in shops offering products and jewelry made of ivory, despite the fact that it is internationally prohibited and its prices are much higher than yellow gold.

Few traders are willing to speak openly to the press yet former trader Mohamed Saleh said he left the business after the revolution since “most of the Chinese companies constituting the highest demand on  such precious goods have left, in addition to the other Asian nationalities.”

While walking down the alleys of the old city of Tripoli, one notices the increase in shops offering products and jewelry made of ivory, despite the fact that it is internationally prohibited and its prices are much higher than yellow gold.

Few traders are willing to speak openly to the press yet former trader Mohamed Saleh said he left the business after the revolution since “most of the Chinese companies constituting the highest demand on  such precious goods have left, in addition to the other Asian nationalities.”

A market for the Chinese

Traders said the Chinese’s high demand for ivory comes out of their belief in its power to protect them against envy in addition to the fact that it indicates the high social status of its owner.

Such demand has encouraged traditional Libyan commodities traders to import the ivory in the form of antiques, jewelry and artifacts despite their international high prices.

One trader said the ivory is smuggled illegally and stressed that several roads and old commercial passages connecting the entrances of Africa and the coast of the Mediterranean have been restored, as the vulnerable situation of the government’s control over the land ports has boosted marine activities.

Through official ports

Land roads, sea ports and airports, helped by the loose monitoring by Libyan authorities— which is not a signatory to the endangered animals protection agreements— provide the smuggling routes. However, the trader could always be caught at one of the international sea ports or airports.

“Ivory products include jewelry, antiques, little status, raw ivory and earrings among other decorations,” a trader said. “Product prices are determined according to their shape and size, whereby some pieces may cost hundreds of dinars according to their engravings’ accuracy and beauty. A comb is estimated at 65 dinars (US $53), one piece of jewelry costs 200 dinars (US $163) while antiques are very expensive.

Banned yet present

Organizations concerned with preserving wild life have cooperated with African countries to regulate laws that prohibit hunting elephants for their precious ivory, but these banned businesses noticeably thrive at Libyan markets.

Before the revolution, and through the Union of Gold, Silver and Precious Metals, which is stalled at the moment, Libya has formed a joint committee of the members of the union, internal and external security as well as municipal guards to defeat such trade.

The reason for controlling this trade is its consequent risks on the gold market, as it could lead to a significant rise in gold prices since the spread of a similar trade, in terms of quality, price and manufacturing accuracy would invade the Libyan market and affecting gold prices. However, the formulated committee has stopped working for undisclosed reasons.

Following up with the work process of the committee was unattainable since the participating bodies have either been dissolved for being security bodies affiliated to Gaddafi’s regime or suspended for different reasons.