Zambian authorities seize half-a-tonne of ivory tusks smuggled by cross-border trafficking syndicate
LONDON: Acting on intelligence provided by the London-based Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), Zambian law enforcement agents raided a house in the capital Lusaka on 9 March and arrested nine Zambians, including an individual from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), allegedly involved in the illegal wildlife trade.
Officers from the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) seized just under 550kg of ivory, which they found in the property, along with ivory seized in a follow-up operation.
Their action marks the successful conclusion to an operation that has been several months in the making and has disrupted an alleged international ivory trafficking syndicate operating with impunity across the Southern African region for many years.
“This operation is one small part of a broader initiative to address alleged organised criminal networks operating in the Southern African region, spanning many countries and involving many nationalities,” said EIA Executive Director, Mary Rice.
“But it demonstrates what can be achieved when intelligence-led investigations and information are applied in a targeted and strategic manner and we congratulate the DNPW for providing an excellent example of a strong enforcement response.”
EIA has been involved in investigating, documenting and exposing illegal wildlife trafficking networks operating across Africa for more than 40 years and wherever possible provides actionable intelligence to the relevant authorities to assist in the disruption of the criminal groups stealing their resources and exploiting weak governance and corrupt individuals involved in the trade.
“Unfortunately, Zambia has a long history of being exploited by criminal networks who have often operated with impunity and implicating the country in large ivory seizures as far back as 2002, so this decisive, well-executed operation is particularly welcome,” added Rice.
“These networks exploit any lack of political will and weak enforcement. They are facilitated by corrupt officials and marginalised communities who are criminalised to supply their trade and they have allegedly been orchestrating poaching expeditions into Botswana to source ivory, which they then traffic out through neighboring countries such as Namibia and Angola.”
EIA will be closely following the resulting legal action against the suspects.
CONTACTS FOR MEDIA
- Paul Newman, EIA UK Senior Press & Communications Officer, via press[at]eia-international.org
EDITORS’ NOTES
- The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) investigates and campaigns against environmental crime and abuse. Our undercover investigations expose transnational wildlife crime, with a focus on elephants, pangolins and tigers, and forest crimes such as illegal logging and deforestation for cash crops such as palm oil. We work to avert climate catastrophe by investigating the criminal trade in refrigerant gases, strengthening and enforcing regional and international agreements that tackle fossil fuels and climate super-pollutants, including ozone-depleting substances, hydrofluorocarbons and methane, and advocating corporate and policy measures to promote sustainable cooling. We work to safeguard global marine ecosystems by addressing the threats posed by plastic pollution, bycatch and commercial exploitation of whales, dolphins and porpoises. Our findings are used in hard-hitting reports to campaign for new legislation, improved governance and more effective enforcement. Our field experience is used to provide guidance to enforcement agencies and we form partnerships with local groups and activists and support their work through hands-on training.
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