Britain under increasing pressure to ban antique ivory sales

JOHANNESBURG – A British official who leads a border security unit targeting wildlife contraband says Britons want to end their domestic ivory trade, which allows the sale of antique ivory items produced before 1947.

Grant Miller, a senior officer in Britain's Border Force, said in South Africa on Thursday that Britons made it clear in a recent consultation by the government that "a domestic ivory market in the United Kingdom is no longer socially acceptable."

Miller was attending a British-hosted workshop on flora and fauna trafficking that was attended by southern African customs officials and several Chinese delegates.

The British government said Thursday that proposals to outlaw ivory sales drew more than 70,000 responses, most in favor of a ban. It says it will release a detailed response soon.