By The Guardian Tanzania
Head of KDU in the northern zone Peter Mbanjoko said the suspects were arrested at the ecological area of Tarangire National Park while in the process of searching for potential customers of the trophies.
He commended officials from Tarangire, Burunge Wildlife Management Area (WMA) and Chemchem Association for the job well done. He named the suspects as Bernard Masalu and Yembeson Masumbuko.
“The suspects are currently in police custody and investigation is ongoing will later appear in court to face charges,” Mbanjoko said.
He said that the anti-poaching operation is endless thus warned those engaging in the illegal activity to stop doing so as the government will not spare anyone once caught.
“After receiving the information, we planned and set up a trap. Some of us pretended to be buyers and then the suspects later agreed to sell the trophies at a cost of 3.5m/-, this made the job more easy to arrest them,” he said.
The Chemchem association which has invested in tourist hotels and photo tourism in the Burunge WMA has a special anti-poaching Fund for 400m/- per year for its operations.
The Fund works closely with the WMA militias, KDU in the northern zone and Tarangire National Park paramilitaries and the Chemichem security force.
https://www.ippmedia.com/en/news/2-men-arrested-illegal-possession-ivory-tusks
