Air force soldier arrested 10 kg of ivory
Two ivory traffickers, Gabonese nationality, were arrested on June 19 during a swift operation in possession of4 ivory tusks of estimated weight a little over 10 kg. Yet another arrest, which demonstrates that the ivory trade continues to flourish despite all the strategies implemented and Libreville continues to be one of the hubs.
The traffickers were arrested following an investigation carried out by prepared by AALF team together with Police Judiciaire and Direction de Lutte contre le Braconnage. Things started to be serious when the police team went to the neighborhood, where the traffickers were trying to sell the ivory, to follow them. It took less than 30 minutes to identify and arrest them. Then one of them was revealed as an air force soldier, the other one was his cousin.
According to Gabon law, this kind of crime, committed by a military, shall be judged by the ordinary courts, in accordance with the provisions of the criminal code. Therefore both the traffickers remain in prison and will be facing a penalty of 6 months imprisonment and 1,700 USD fine.