Mozambique: Customs seized more than three tonnes of ivory in Maputo

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Mozambique: Customs seized more than three tonnes of ivory in Maputo

10:27 CAT | 13 Apr 2018

Notícias

The Mozambican Customs at first estimated that they had seized one and a half tonnes of ivory at the Port of Maputo yesterday. However, the numbers are different. Authorities seized three tons and four hundred kilograms of ivory, O País reports.

According to Tax Authority’s press officer Fernando Tinga, the haul comprised 867 (eight hundred and sixty-seven) ivory tips, weighing just over three and a half tons, which corresponds to 434 (four hundred and thirty-four) slaughtered elephants.

UPDATE from Mozambican Customs: 3.5 tonnes of #ivory, comprising 867 #elephant tusks, were seized last week in its largest seizure, instead of 1.5 tonnes as announced earlier https://t.co/084us7AIgf via @clubOmozambique

Mozambique lost 48% of its #elephants between 2011 & 2016. pic.twitter.com/UHjf7asN5J

— CITES (@CITES) April 16, 2018

Meanwhile, drivers who are members of the port transporters’ association in Maputo have expressed their outrage at the arrest of their colleague, who was driving the truck with ivory. They say that their colleague was under no obligation to be aware of the load the truck.

In a telephone contact, the press officer of the Tax Authority assured that an internal investigation was in order to investigate the possible involvement of employees in the crime.

O País tried to contact Chinese company Newlite, named as the owner of the merchandise. However, at the address indicated, our report only encountered a high wall, with the gate locked, no sign outside and with no one in attendance, in a lost place in the Beluluane area of Maputo province.

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Source: O País