Smuggling claimed
NZPA-Reuter Brussels King Baudouin of the Belgians was accused by a socialist newspaper yesterday of smuggling rare chimpanzees and ivory from Zaire in the Royal jet that flew him back from a state visit last week. The Dutch-language newspaper, “De Morgen” said that its editor-in-chief, who accompanied the king on the trip to the former Belgian colony, saw elephant tusks being loaded into the royal plane in Gemena, north Zaire, on the final day of the visit, on Tuesday. It said that two African chimpanzees were taken to the zoo in Antwerp, Belgium; after the Royal jet landed at the Brussels military airport on Tuesday evening. An official at the Belgian Agriculture Ministry, which enforces an international convention on trade in endangered animal species, said that an investigation had started into the case, which he said “appeared to
involve Royalty.” He said that his office had never received applications for import licences, compulsory under the convention, for the apes and tusks reported to have been taken into the country. An Antwerp zoo veterinarian, Walter de Meurichy, said that he had collected two young chimpanzees from the Royal palace in Brussels shortly after the
Royal family’s return and the animals were in quarantine. Asked where the monkeys and ivory came from, another zoo official, said, “it is a public secret ... It was a gift from (Zairean President) Mobutu to the king.” He said that the zoo had received a telephone call from a senior Royal aide for help to look after the chimpanzees, which were unwell after the journey from Zaire. Mr De Meurichy said, “I went and collected the animals from the royal palace. They were exhausted and weak, as most wild animals imported from Africa are. They had been given a nice, warm spot somewhere in the royal stables.” The public prosecutor’s office said that the legal services were not concerned yet. “First the customs or the agriculture ministry must file a complaint. Officially, we know nothing,” a spokesman said.
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Press, 13 July 1985, Page 10
Word Count
333Smuggling claimed Press, 13 July 1985, Page 10
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