Singapore will place a ban on the domestic sale of Elephant Ivory Products and Elephant Ivory from the year 2021.

The government of Singapore is currently going out with maximum effort in banning the illegal wildlife trade.

The ban comes after 2 years of continuous consultations with non-government groups, people, and ivory retailers.

In a statement, Singapore’s National Parks Board said that they have banned Elephant Ivory Products and Elephant Ivory itself.

The ban will come in effect from the 1st of September in 2021.

Anyone who gets caught buying or selling can face up to one year in prison and fines on conviction.

Traders can donate their ivory stocks to institutions or keep them after the ban takes effect in 2021.

When the government consulted the public about the ban, it is reported that 99 percent were in favor of banning Elephant Ivory and Elephant Ivory Products trade and sale in the country.

Elephant Ivory is coveted because it can be fashioned into jewelry, combs, and even pendants.

Global trade in ivory has been outlawed since 1989 after the population of African Elephants dropped from millions to 600,000 by the end of the 80s.

Earlier this year, Singapore made its largest seizure of smuggled ivory in July.

The seizure was made in Singapore and the shipment was coming from the Democratic Republic of Congo and was supposed to be delivered in Vietnam.

According to a statement that was released by the Customs of Singapore, Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, and the National Parks Board, authorities in Singapore also seized 13.1 tons of Pangolin Scales.

Officials confirmed that the ivory seized in the operation came from around 300 elephants, the market value of the ivory is around $12.9 million USD.

Singapore banned the trade in all forms of ivory products since 1990.

But ivory could only be sold domestically if traders could prove that the ivory was imported before that year.