France announced recently that it will suspend all raw ivory imports into the country. The development comes a year after the government destroyed 3 tons of seized ivory in stockpile. The existence of legal ivory imports encourages illegal ivory to be "laundered". The suspension should help French authorities identify contraband. Although the ban is a positive development, all ivory trade needs to be criminalized if African elephants are to have a chance of surviving the rampant poaching onslaught. The trade is one of the world's most lucrative black markets, valued at $19 billion a year. In general, wildlife trade is fourth on the list of profitable criminal trade behind drugs, counterfeiting and human trafficking. The war against poaching is not being won in the field. The International Fund for Animal Welfare said that poaching has returned to Cameroon's Boubandjida National Park. In 2012 several hundred elephants were slaughtered by horseback riders from Sudan affiliated with Janjaweed rebels. In January, ten elephant carcasses were found by the military, of which eight were missing tusks. Cameroon's Rapid Intervention Battalion caught up with poachers a week later. The gang retreated after exchanging fire leaving behind four tusks, ammunition and horses. The world was very slow to recognize and react to the fact that international terrorism as well as criminal syndicates are closely linked to poaching. Ivory is used to finance operations. Government corruption also plays a key role is some dysfunctional African nations. In China ivory has soared in value ($3000/kg), so it is being used as an investment vehicle. Alone, elephants do not stand a change against this organized slaughter for profit. Worldwide action is needed to attack the network of supply at each node: poaching, distribution, and retail market.