News
A Chinese national arrested in a glass eels trafficking crackdown
Senegal, 30 Apr 2024A Chinese national arrested in a glass eels trafficking crackdown in an exceptional France-Senegal collaboration. A French delegation led by an investigating judge arrived Senegal to investigate the African side of an international trafficking ring in the protected European glass eels.
2 traffickers arrested with body parts of 2 killed gorillas
Cameroon, 30 Apr 20242 traffickers arrested with body parts of 2 killed gorillas. The parts that included heads and limbs had blood still dripping indicating the gorillas were recently killed. The two were specialised in poaching and trafficking in great apes. Due to corruption, the two disappeared right after a jail visit that was done by the Legal Team on the ground. They were reported to have “escaped”. The hunt is ongoing and the corruption incident is under investigations.
A leopard skin trafficker arrested
Ivory Coast, 29 Apr 2024A leopard skin trafficker arrested with several pieces of wildlife and a rifle. Following the arrest of two leopard skin traffickers last month, follow up investigations led to his arrest. During the operation, he physically resisted arrest but was quickly subdued. He is the supplier of wildlife contraband to several other traffickers. He was arrested close to the Tai National Park.
2 traffickers arrested with 2 leopard skins and 5 kg of pangolin scales
Congo, 4 Apr 20242 traffickers arrested with 2 leopard skins and 5 kg of pangolin scales. Good work of the PALF team with the authorities.
A trafficker arrested with 2 leopard skins
Ivory Coast, 14 Mar 2024A trafficker arrested with 2 leopard skins, probably a mother and a cub. The trafficker stored the skins in the house of a traditional chief in an attempt to get impunity. The trafficker worked with several poachers who supplied him with rare animal products. They drove to the place of transaction with the skins concealed inside the car.
3 traffickers arrested with 6 pieces of elephant tusks and a leopard skin
Gabon, 11 Mar 20243 traffickers arrested with 6 pieces of elephant tusks and a leopard skin. Two traffickers were arrested with the elephant tusks and a third who was not too far away was arrested soon after. The elephant tusk, weighing 12kg, were cut into pieces and concealed in a sports bag. The traffickers were arrested while attempting to sell the tusks.
4 traffickers, including a veteran soldier, arrested with 2 elephant tusks
Ivory Coast, 8 Mar 20244 traffickers, including a veteran soldier, arrested with 2 elephant tusks weighing 42 kg. They used a motorcycle to transport the elephant tusks that were stored in a nearby village. The traffickers were intending to use the profit from the deal to generate the killing of elephants in the Tai National Park. The operation took place close to the Park which is the biggest contiguous rainforest of West Africa. From several indications the tusks were from an adult elephant slaughtered in the park that has an estimated population of 300 elephants. Elephants, the country's emblem, are on the brink of extinction in the country: their numbers have halved in thirty years. Immediately, after the operation the Team travelled to another town for a leopard skin trafficking operation.
4 traffickers arrested with 2 elephant tusks
Togo, 29 Feb 20244 traffickers arrested with 2 elephant tusks weighing more than 30 kg. Hundreds of small chips and pieces of ivory from several last deals were seized. The tusks originated from Cameroon. The contraband was concealed inside a grains bag and hidden in cab which they took to the place of transaction. They positioned themselves all over the place to keep guard and watch out for law enforcement as they attempted to sell the ivory.
A shipment from Brazil of highly endangered animals stopped
Togo, 24 Feb 2024A shipment from Brazil of highly endangered 12 Lear’s Macaws and 17 Golden Lion Tamarins on a sailing boat stopped and 5 traffickers arrested.
A fugitive ivory trafficker captured
Congo, 23 Feb 2024A fugitive ivory trafficker captured. He was wanted in connection to a past arrest operation. The team carried out multiple arrest attempts. Since the trafficker is very well connected with law enforcement, the arrest failed each time as he mysteriously disappeared before being captured. This time, after a year of efforts, he was finally apprehended. He first escaped an operation that took place in January 2023 and a trafficker was arrested with 2 elephant tusks. The trafficker was sentenced in January to 4 years in prison. The fugitive who escaped during that operation shall now face the full force of the law.
An ape trafficker arrested and a baby chimp rescued
Ivory Coast, 20 Feb 2024An ape trafficker arrested and a baby chimp rescued. The trafficker, who is known for his activities trafficked the chimp from Liberia and talked of complicity of local wildlife officials. He came by motorcycle with the chimpanzee strapped to his back, and managed to cross safely several roadblocks with the chimp visible.
3 traffickers arrested with 6 elephant tusks
Gabon, 12 Feb 20243 traffickers arrested with 6 elephant tusks weighing 33 kg. 2 traffickers were arrested with the elephant tusks and after an interrogation, they denounced 3 other traffickers. One was arrested and 2 others are searched fugitives. They are a part of a larger criminal network.
