An ivory dealer arrested in Port-Gentil

An ivory trafficker was arrested in Port-Gentil for trafficking 5 tusks and 19 pieces of ivory. The small pieces were already prepared for making Hankos (Chinese seals). The pieces were to be sold to another trafficker who feeds a Chadian network, but the final destination was China, which was evident from the manufacturing the ivory pieces for future use.

The trafficker, a Cameroonian, but resident in Gabon, was arrested after several days of investigations while trying to sell the ivory in a hotel in the economic capital of Gabon. The operation was conducted by the Port Gentil antenna of the Police Judiciaire, services des Eaux et Forêts and AALF team.

China and many other Asian countries are struggling to get in compliance with CITES, CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), an international agreement between governments, which aims to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.