News
A trafficker arrested with 2 elephant tusks
Congo, 25 Jan 2023A trafficker arrested with 2 elephant tusks. He concealed the tusks for over a week at the residence of the grandmother of one his accomplices. He is part of a bigger network. He denounced two others who are on the run. Efforts continue to track them down and get them arrested.
A trafficker arrested in connection to the trafficking ring arrests of November
Senegal, 12 Jan 2023A trafficker arrested in connection to the trafficking ring arrests of November - this time the head of the ring got arrested after hiding in Mali. While thinking the heat has passed, he crossed the border again to renew his illegal activities, but persistence pays and he has been trapped. 2 traffickers were arrested with a leopard skin in November. On their phones were horrible images of massacred lions and elephants as well as human rights atrocities, dead human bodies, and huge stocks of automatic weapons.
3 traffickers arrested with 120 kg pangolin scales
Cameroon, 15 Dec 20223 traffickers arrested with 120 kg pangolin scales. Two of them were activating several poachers generating a regular massive killing of pangolins. One of the traffickers used his motorcycle to transport the scales. They are experienced in trafficking pangolin scales and complained that the Covid 19 pandemic hampered their activity, but they were quickly picking up where they left off before the pandemic started. The area is widely known for the illicit bushmeat trade.
4 traffickers arrested with 28 African grey parrots
Cameroon, 7 Dec 20224 traffickers arrested with 28 African grey parrots. The crackdown dismantled a ring of parrot traffickers operating in the East of the country. They transported the parrots, crammed tight in a small wooden cage, in a vehicle to the place of transaction. They were arrested as they attempted to sell the parrots. They were leading a ring of local poachers who captured live African grey parrots. They also sold parrots to some notorious parrot trafficking networks in Yaounde and farther afield. Several parrots were sold by the traffickers during the period of the investigations that took a couple of months.
Ofir Drori's presentation at the 19th COP of CITES
5 Dec 2022On the side-lines of the CITES 19th Conference of Parties that took place in Panama City, Ofir Drori did a presentation on fighting the illegal trade in primates during a side event that focused on how to stop the illegal trade in primates, organised by CATCA Environmental and Wildlife Society and the International Primate Protection League.
2 traffickers arrested with 2 leopard skins
Congo, 1 Dec 20222 traffickers arrested with 2 leopard skins, a skull and 11 teeth. Both were perfectly aware of the illegality of their activity, took time to carefully conceal the contraband in a black plastic bag they transported to Brazzaville. They were arrested as they attempted to sell the leopard parts. The motorbike of one of the traffickers that was used for moving the contraband around was also seized. Traffickers often use motorbikes as favourite means of transport as it helps them avoid checkpoints and enables them to take little known roads and paths that law enforcement don’t man.
2 traffickers arrested with a leopard skin
Senegal, 12 Nov 20222 traffickers arrested with a leopard skin. On their phones were horrible images of massacred lions and elephants as well as human rights atrocities, dead human bodies, and huge stocks of automatic weapons. The traffickers, one of whom is a Niger national, smuggled the skin from Mali. Examining the skin, we believe the poacher they activated shot the leopard a few times at the spine, crippling it and only after a lot of misery, shot it to death in short range.
3 ivory traffickers of Benin nationality arrested with 2 tusks
Togo, 12 Nov 20223 ivory traffickers of Benin nationality arrested with 2 tusks. The tusks were concealed in a suitcase and, like in another operation carried out 24 hours earlier in Cote d’Ivoire, the tusks were marked indicating that they had already been seized before in Benin, where it was trafficked from, trading back seized ivory with traffickers. They remain behind bars awaiting trial.
3 ivory traffickers arrested with 4 tusks
Ivory Coast, 11 Nov 20223 ivory traffickers arrested with 4 pieces of tusks weighing 26 kg. Their criminal operation stretched to Mali where this ivory was trafficked from. The markings on the ivory indicates corruption in Mali, authorities reselling of seized contraband back to criminals. The traffickers used a vehicle to move the contraband that was hidden in cardboard boxes.
A trafficker arrested with 4 tusks
Gabon, 4 Nov 2022A trafficker arrested with 4 tusks. She concealed the tusks in a grains bag which she transported by vehicle to the scene of transaction. She was arrested in the act as she attempted to sell the elephant tusks. She was transferred to Libreville and presented to the State Counsel of the Special Tribunal who remanded her in custody while awaiting trial.
2 traffickers arrested with 180kg scales of giant pangolins
Cameroon, 29 Oct 20222 traffickers arrested with 180kg scales of giant pangolins. They smuggled the 7 sacks from the south of the country to Yaounde where they were arrested. Great work of the LAGA team with the authorities.
5 traffickers arrested with 3 elephant tusks
Ivory Coast, 28 Oct 20225 traffickers arrested with 3 elephant tusks. 4 traffickers were arrested attempting to sell 2 tusks at the outskirts of Abidjan. They denounced the brain behind the deal activating the others. When arrested he claimed to have stolen the tusks from his boss, who is a Lebanese national. Further investigations led to the seizure of a third ivory tusk.
