NY authorities seize ivory from Manhattan gallery
ALBANY, N.Y. – Authorities say the owners and a salesman at a Manhattan antiques store and gallery have been charged with selling or offering for sale illegal elephant ivory priced at more than $4.5 million that has been seized.
Manhattan prosecutors and state conservation officials say Metropolitan Fine Arts & Antiques has sold ivory articles and carvings since at least 2007.
They say the shop didn’t renew its previous license to sell ivory following a 2014 state law that banned most sales except under very limited circumstances.
Undercover conservation officers bought a carving for $2,000 last year identified through an analysis as elephant ivory.
Authorities say a subsequent search warrant found 126 ivory articles including two pairs of uncarved tusks.
A man who answered the store’s phone says they have no comment.
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