A Dundee woman has admitted raking in thousands of pounds in the international sale of elephant ivory jewellery.
Self-proclaimed collector Joyce Bell used eBay to flog necklaces from her home to customers from as far as China.
The 67-year-old claimed the items were “bovine bone” but a specialist at the National Museum of Scotland confirmed they were made of ivory.
Bell was snared after Border Force agents managed to intercept parcels sent from eBay, which bans the sell of ivory.
Reports have been ordered after Bell pled guilty at Dundee Sheriff Court to evading export duty costs and dealing in ivory between 2016 and 2022.
The conviction is believed to be the first of its kind in Scotland.
“It’s rare to be stumped after 16 years on the bench that I have never had a case of this nature,” Sheriff George Way remarked after Bell’s guilty plea.
Ivory items found in Dundee home
The court was told how Bell made more than £6,400 by selling what was described as costume jewellery from elephant tusks.
Dozens of items were shipped off but a number of packages were flagged by Border Force as potentially containing ivory.
Fiscal depute Karen Rollo said Bell was issued with notices telling her she required permits to export the goods.
Bell claimed she did not know how to inform the relevant authorities.
It was revealed Bell, of Denhead Crescent, had marked parcels as being worth low double figures but the eBay transactions were actually significantly higher.
Ms Rollo said: “The total value of sales is £6,412.12.
“It’s not possible to work out what she has evaded in export payments because we don’t know if they were grouped together. Each permit costs £37.
“Police obtained a warrant to search the accused’s home address and found a number of items which seem to have assisted her in carrying out the sales.
“The accused was interviewed and said the items were bovine bone.
“This seems to be a way around it as the items appeared similar.”
‘A collector, not a dealer’
Bell said she collected the items and had so much in her home she decided to sell it as a hobby.
“She said she didn’t think the items were ivory,” Ms Rollo added.
“She described herself as a collector rather than a dealer.
“She reiterated she thought all the items were bovine bone and denied knowledge in relation to the offences.”
Ms Rollo said collectors would have been aware of the items being ivory due to it being heavier than bovine bone.
Bell pled guilty to an offence under the Ivory Act 2018 which prohibits people from dealing in ivory or assists someone else in doing so.
According to the legislation, the punishment can be up to a year in prison or a fine.
Sheriff Way deferred sentence on Bell until next month for a social work report to be prepared.
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