Translated from the French by an automated online translation service, so
please excuse the roughness. See link for the French original.
Gabon: Trafficking in Ivory—A Filipino and his accomplice pinned down
7 Days Info
September 9, 2021
See link
https://7joursinfo.com/actualites/gabon-mouila-trafic-divoire-un-philippin-et-son-complice-epingles/
for photo.
The commune of Mouila, capital of the province of Ngounié, has once again
been the scene of an arrest of suspected ivory tusk traffickers. The facts
took place on Wednesday, September 8, 2021 around 1 p.m. in a place where
the concerned had made an appointment.
The preparation of an illicit ivory transaction having reached the agents
of the Judicial Police (PJ) stationed in the said city, an intervention
team was quickly formed. The mixed group was made up of officers from the
Judicial Police and Water and Forests, supported by members of the NGO
Conservation Justice.
Deployed at the location indicated, the agents immediately proceeded to the
arrest of Mr. Alex ABAOU, of Philippine nationality and of Mr. Jean
Baptiste MEZEME MBA of Gabonese nationality. They are both employees of the
Forestière Mont Pelé Bois company, located 12 kilometers from Moabi.
They were in possession of four tusks intended for the illicit trade. The
two alleged traffickers were taken into custody in the premises of the
Judicial Police of Mouila pending the transfer to Libreville and their
presentation before the Special Prosecutor's Office to answer for the facts
of detention and attempted sale of ivory without prior authorization.
The accused risk up to ten years in prison, in accordance with the
provisions of article 388 of the Gabonese Penal Code.
Employees of companies active in the exploitation of timber are therefore
involved in trafficking in animals or timber. And specifically protected
species, such as kevazingo for wood and elephant ivory for wildlife. Some
cases have been denounced recently, in particular vis-à-vis the Asian
forestry companies WCTS, TBNI or the Dejia group by the EIA (Environmental
Investigation Agency) and disseminated in the Gabonese media. Officially
entering Gabon to exercise a legal activity, some take advantage of their
presence in rural areas of the interior of the country to carry out
transactions in products of the fauna or flora that feed the black market
in the case of ivory or are bleached in the case of wood.
https://7joursinfo.com/actualites/gabon-mouila-trafic-divoire-un-philippin-et-son-complice-epingles/