Africa-Press – Mozambique. The Mozambican authorities on Tuesday announced the arrest of eight people, including employees of state airline Linhas Aéreas de Moçambique (LAM), on suspicion of illegally exporting 166 pieces of ivory and other protected animals parts.
The items were seized in neighbouring Tanzania on May 28, after having passed through Pemba Airport in Cabo Delgado, northern Mozambique, said Noémia Madeira, spokeswoman for the Cabo Delgado Provincial Attorney’s Office, at a press conference.
“The seized product consisted of 16 boxes containing 166 pieces of ivory and five boxes containing the bones of wild animals yet to be identified”, in addition to 20 lions’ teeth and 65 claws, the spokeswoman said.
Among those arrested are workers at LAM, a customs official, a member of the Mozambican police and an official from the provincial directorate of economic activities, all assigned to Pemba airport.
According to the Attorney General’s Office, the cargo, which is still under the supervision of the Tanzanian authorities, did not pass through the detector at Pemba airport and was destined for Malaysia.
Poaching in Mozambique has been a serious threat to wildlife, but authorities estimate that elephant slaughter has declined in recent years as a result of enforcement and conservation efforts.
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