Maputo, 24 Nov (AIM) – Mozambique’s National Criminal Investigation Service (Sernic) has detained a group of five individuals in possession of 10 elephant tusks in Mapai district, in the southern province of Gaza.
The group was also in possession of 15 ostrich eggs, as well as an elephant tail and trunk.
According to the Police, the group was intercepted during a routine inspection operation in which the illegal material was found.
The suspects, the authorities say, did not present any documentation justifying possession of the products, reinforcing suspicions of involvement in poaching and wildlife trafficking.
Among the detainees, there is a primary school teacher “who is in police custody while further investigations are under way to determine the origin of the products and possible links to broader wildlife trafficking networks in the region.”
The Police reiterated their commitment to strengthening the fight against poaching, calling for the collaboration of communities in reporting any suspicious activity.
(AIM)
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