Africa-Press – Mozambique. The National Criminal Investigation Service (SERNIC) arrested a Chinese citizen on Thursday in possession of 200 kilograms of retail-cut ivory in the city of Maputo, southern Mozambique, a source from the agency confirmed.
“We are talking about around 200 kilograms of ivory already in the process of being removed (…) out of the country, everything indicates that. It is in our interest to determine where this material was extracted from, as it comes from killed animals. We also want to know its intended destination and whether there are accomplices or intermediaries in the city,” said SERNIC spokesperson in Maputo, João Adriano.
According to Adriano, the 55-year-old Chinese citizen was arrested around 07:00 on Thursday, 2 April, at his residence while attempting to transport the ivory to a destination still under investigation by police authorities.
SERNIC reported that the citizen was caught in flagrante after receiving tip-offs.
“This is a legal case of transporting products from species that are prohibited and protected by law, carrying a potential prison sentence of 12 to 16 years,” João Adriano said.
The criminal investigation police added that the individual was also in possession of three valid passports, which authorities suspect were intended to facilitate his escape from the country.
“He had about five DIREs [Foreigner Identification and Residence Documents], of which only one is valid (…). Monetary values were also seized, around 50,000 meticais [€677] and some amount in foreign currency,” the spokesperson said, noting that the Chinese citizen is legally in the country.
Poaching in Mozambique has posed a significant threat to wildlife, though authorities estimate elephant killings have declined in recent years due to enforcement and conservation efforts.
According to the National Administration of Conservation Areas (ANAC), Mozambique has around 10,000 elephants, which remain targets of poachers seeking ivory for sale.
Mozambique enforces a biodiversity conservation law, with penalties reaching up to 16 years in prison and various fines for masterminds, hunters, traffickers, and others involved in the illegal wildlife trade.
