Arrested wildlife traffickers
By Ahone Heidi
90 wildlife traffickers have been arrested across 7 African countries. There were arrested last year in Ivory Coast, Congo, Guinea, Uganda, Senegal, Togo and Cameroon during crackdown operations carried out under the framework of the government’s collaboration with EAGLE network that assists wildlife officials in the application of the wildlife law in these countries.
They were arrested while trafficking in protected wildlife species including elephant tusks, leopard skins, lion skins, primates and pangolin scales. 64 ivory traffickers were arrested with over 474kg of elephant tusks including 67kg elephant tusks and 260 ivory pieces seized during operations that were done in Cote d’Ivoire, Togo, The Republic of Congo and Cameroon. 13 big cat skin traffickers were also arrested in Senegal, Ivory Coast and Uganda, as well as, eight primate traffickers arrested during operations carried out in these countries including Cameroon, Togo and Ivory Coast. Two other traffickers were arrested in Congo with 81kg of endangered giant pangolin scales.
Among some of the traffickers arrested are four major wildlife traffickers arrested in Ivory Coast during a crackdown on a notorious Koumassi criminal network. They were connected to two Asian criminal syndicates which they supplied large quantities of ivory tusks and pangolin scales. One of the traffickers was arrested with more than 200 carved ivory items and the others were later arrested in their shops with more than 30 carved items. Three traffickers including a warrant officer and a sacked army sergeant were also arrested in Cameroon with three and a half elephant tusks. One of the military officers resisted arrest violently making threats to the arresting force. Four other traffickers were arrested in Congo with 3 elephant tusk in a crackdown on judicial corruption. One of them, the head clerk of the High Court of Dolisie used his position to traffic seized ivory from the court’s evidence room. He was denounced by the other traffickers and a raid was conducted at his home which led to his arrest. Two of the tusks had marks of already seized and labelled tusk of previous elephant tusks operation of 2021.
Four traffickers including a veteran soldier were also arrested near the Tai National Park during a crackdown operation carried out in Ivory Coast. The traffickers had intended to use the profit from the illegal transaction to generate the killing of elephants in the park. More to these traffickers, is an ape trafficker and 2 others who were arrested with a live baby chimp and gorilla’s parts in Ivory Coast and Cameroon.
The trade in wildlife protected species especially the elephant is far from ending soon despite enforcement efforts carried out by governments and wildlife law enforcement bodies to create deterrence.
EAGLE network is made up of NGOs, including LAGA, working in collaboration with some governments in Africa to improve on the application of national environmental legislation. The EAGLE network is active in Cameroon (LAGA), Congo, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Togo, and Uganda working closely with the governments of these countries to combat illegal wildlife trade.