Elephant Tusks Worth $1,400 Aborted Sale Foiled in Mozambique
In a significant crackdown on wildlife trafficking, Mozambique’s National Criminal Investigation Service (Sernic) has announced the successful disruption of an attempted sale of two elephant tusks in Pemba, the capital of the northern province of Cabo Delgado.
According to Sernic’s Cabo Delgado provincial spokesperson, Neomia Joao, the tusks were being sold for 88,000 meticais (approximately $1,400) or 3,000 meticais per kilo. The two tusks, which appear to have come from the same animal, weighed 15 and 14 kilos respectively.
The attempted sale was foiled when two individuals were arrested for trying to sell the ivory. The traffickers, who arrived in Pemba from Palma district, have been remanded to the local branch of the Public Prosecutor’s Office. One of the men arrested confirmed to reporters that he had transported the tusks from Palma, intending to sell them in Pemba.
The case highlights the ongoing struggle against wildlife trafficking in Mozambique, with the country’s authorities working to combat the illegal trade in elephant ivory and other endangered species. The successful disruption of this attempted sale is a significant step forward in this effort, and serves as a warning to those involved in the illegal wildlife trade.
