Ivory trafficking: Two alleged traffickers arrested in Franceville (Gabon)

Author(s)

Loic Ntoutoume, Gabon Review

Date Published

Translated from the French by an automated online translation service, so please excuse the roughness. See link for the French original. 

See link for photo.

Obissa Karl alias Hans and Moutou Hite Guillaume Alias Chris were arrested on March 7 in Franceville, by agents of the General Directorate of Research of the Gendarmerie and the Provincial Directorate of Water and Forests of Haut-Ogooué in red-handed possession and attempted sale of two ivory tusks.

These ivory traffickers do not give up despite the multiple arrests made here and there! They continue to use all illegal means to decimate elephants despite awareness and legal texts on the protection of endangered species. 

 
Following verified information concerning an elephant ivory transaction, the mixed team, with the support of the NGO Conservation Justice, deployed a device at the scene of the transaction to get hold of these two alleged traffickers, of Gabonese nationality and domiciled in Franceville. 

Currently held in custody at the General Directorate of Research of Franceville pending their transfer to Libreville, these two unscrupulous people risk up to ten years in prison in accordance with the provisions of article 388 of the Penal Code.

This new case of wildlife crime confirms the findings of the African Elephant Status Report. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), African elephants remain globally in danger of extinction, with the exception of certain stable elephant populations such as in Gabon and which urgently need to be protected. For ten years, the NGO Conservation Justice has been contributing to the effective application of the law on fauna and flora for better protection of endangered species in general and elephants in particular.

https://www.gabonreview.com/trafic-divoire-deux-presumes-trafiquants-arretes-a-franceville/