Authorities in Mozambique have detained seven men, including two members of the national police force, in connection with the poaching of four elephants in a major wildlife trafficking operation. The arrests, made in the Chókwè district of Gaza province, underscore the persistent challenges of corruption and wildlife crime plaguing conservation efforts in Southern Africa.
The Operation and Seizure
The operation was conducted by the National Criminal Investigation Service (SERNIC) in close coordination with the National Administration of Conservation Areas (ANAC), targeting a criminal network attempting to traffic illegal wildlife products.
The suspects were apprehended in Ngangue before they could complete the sale of the contraband. At the time of the arrest, the police seized:
- Seven ivory tusks, believed to be from the elephants poached in the Magude area of Maputo province.
- Two firearms and a quantity of ammunition.
- A vehicle and multiple mobile phones used in the commission of the crime.
The detained individuals range in age from 30 to 60.
Law Enforcement Complicity
A critical element of the case involves the complicity of officers from the Police of the Republic of Mozambique (PRM). The identification of two active PRM agents among the suspects highlights the deep-seated infiltration of poaching syndicates into state security organs—a dynamic that frequently cripples anti-poaching campaigns.
When approached by the press, one of the suspects denied being a police agent. The other six detainees declined to make a statement, according to officials.
The arrests signal a notable step in the government’s efforts to dismantle the trafficking routes that move ivory from Mozambique’s conservation areas to international markets, often linking local poachers with larger criminal organizations.
