Sri Lanka destroys giant illegal ivory haul

Buddhist monks look at African elephant tusks (Blood Ivory) seized by Sri Lanka Customs to be destroyed, before they held prayers for the dead elephants, at Galle Face Green in Colombo January 26, 2016. REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

COLOMBO: The Sri Lankan government on Tuesday publicly destroyed its biggest ever illegal ivory haul in what customs officials said was an attempt to show poachers that the island will not tolerate the violent trade.

More than 350 tusks were displayed at the Galle Face promenade in the island’s capital Colombo before being fed into a 100-tonne crusher to be sent to an industrial furnace.