Crackdown on a Vietnamese Ivory Criminal Syndicate

On 18th January 2018, the EAGLE Network and the government of Ivory Coast began the coordination of Operation “Ivory Stops at Ivory Coast”, a crackdown on an international ivory trafficking network. The leader, a Vietnamese national, was arrested in Abidjan with five other members of his network, a criminal syndicate that has been operating for years in at least seven different countries and is estimated to have generated the slaughter of tens of thousands of elephants for their tusks. Last week’s arrests led to the confiscation of 478 kg ivory, over half a ton of pangolin scales, some packed and ready for export, four illegal handguns, leopard parts, 7 cutting and carving machines and more contraband. The head of the criminal organization in Cote d’Ivoire is directly linked to two prior seizures, one in Vietnam and another in Cambodia, where 619 kg and 941 kg of Ivory seized by authorities, respectively.

The Story of the Chimpanzees

Since LAGA started its operation in 2003 more than 30 chimpanzees were rescued by EAGLE Network. First of them were in Cameroon, but later many were saved in Guinea and some in Gabon and Congo. Here you can see photos of most of them.

Ofir Drori: The Protector of Wildlife

He's writing his own "Jungle Book": a great novel of adventures and struggles for animals. In 2003, this 48-year-old Israeli founded the first NGO specializing in the enforcement of species protection laws in Africa. His uncompromising method: investigating, infiltrating networks, and thwarting the traps of corruption to bring traffickers to justice. He has secured nearly 3,000 convictions in twenty years. Now, Ofir and his teams are leading the offensive in seven countries. In Cameroon, Uganda, Senegal, Togo, Ivory Coast, Congo, and Guinea, they are raising awareness and creating vocations in their passion: poacher hunting.

Crisis in Africa

The EAGLE Network is leading the fight against wildlife crime with more than 3,000 major wildlife traffickers jailed to date, fighting corruption to break complicity and ensure justice.

Cameroon - LAGA

As a pioneer in NGO involvement in wildlife law enforcement in Africa, LAGA is credited in shifting Cameroon from a decade long baseline of zero wildlife prosecutions to an enforcement rate of one major wildlife dealer arrested and prosecuted per week.

Antonia Malina Gustafsson

Antonia has a deep passion for animals since childhood. She has years of experience working on various conservation projects in Africa. She underwent training as a supervolunteer and in January 2026 she was appointed the Coordinator of EAGLE Guinée.