Mozambique: Police arrest two men with 11 elephant tusks
Macau Business
June 9, 2021
The Mozambican police in Maputo arrested two men in possession of 11
elephant tusks suspected to be intended for illegal ivory trafficking, the
police announced on Tuesday.
The two Mozambicans were arrested at their home, where they were keeping
the tusks. The National Criminal Investigation Service (Sernic) action was
triggered after a complaint from the public.
Investigations continue to ascertain the connections of the two suspects.
The killing of protected species (fauna and flora) remains a concern in
Mozambique. A month ago, Sernic arrested five other people in the act when
they intended to sell 11 tusks in the central province of Tete.
Between 2010 and 2014, it is estimated that Mozambique lost about 1,200
elephants a year, a figure that has dropped to 127 in 2015 and 26 elephants
in 2019, according to data from the National Administration of Conservation
Areas (ANAC).
The reduction is attributed to a combination of factors, including aerial
surveillance, ground patrol, the presence of special forces on the ground
and the involvement of authorities from neighbouring countries.
The 2018 census found that Mozambique has a total of 9,122 elephants.
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