Seven Mozambicans arrested in Zimbabwe for involvement in poaching

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Seven Mozambicans arrested in Zimbabwe for involvement in poaching

2:04 CAT | 12 Jan 2017

CoM (File Photo)

Seven Mozambicans were arrested by Zimbabwean authorities on poaching charges last year, after police and prosecutors of the National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks) went on a joint operation.

The Mozambicans were detained in an operation that culminated in 443 people being arrested on suspicion of poaching. Zimbabweans, Zambians and South Africans were among those arrested.

Agência de Informação de Moçambique (AIM) quotes Zimparks spokeswoman Caroline Moyo as saying yesterday that the authorities have been steadily tightening the noose on poachers. In 2015 only 57 people were imprisoned for involvement in poaching, while according to Moyo, 211 cases were investigated this year, and 116 brought to a successful conclusion.

Zimbabweans authorities said they have recovered a substantial spoils obtained from poaching, including 76 ivory tusks and 179 various other pieces of horn, 36 live pangolins, eight mammal trophies and 22 firearms.

Zimparks officials are concerned about the growing internationalization of poaching, where rings from other countries appear to operate in partnership with local people living near conservation areas.

“Poachers from Mozambique operate in the Gonarezhou National Park and in the Save Valley Conservancy, where they slaughter the elephants. It is clear that most poaching is perpetrated by organised gangs, who themselves are hired by even larger gangs,” Moyo claims in a statement issued this Tuesday.

Moyo says modern strategies like drones and tracker dogs will help combat the practice as well as the trade in wildlife species in conservation areas along the border.

Source: O País