Dramatic Increase in Illegal Ivory Arrests in Republic of Congo
Scaled-up actions against elephant poachers and illegal ivory traders in Republic of Congo have led to a wave of arrests in the country in November and early December.
Anti-poaching initiatives resulting in the arrests of three people were conducted by African Parks’ Anti-Poaching Unit at Odzala-Kokoua National Park, while the arrests of eight people were initiated by the NGO PALF (Project for the Application of Law for Fauna) working with the Gendarmerie Nationale. These arrests are a feather in the cap for the Ministry of Forest Economy and Sustainable Development, which is responsible for the country’s elephant protection efforts.
The recent anti-poaching successes include:
Two poachers were arrested on the eastern boundary of the park by Odzala’s Anti-Poaching Unit in October. They admitted selling ivory to a Chinese national, who is an employee of the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC). His driver was also arrested. The men were found to be in possession of pieces from three tusks which had been stashed at the CRBC camp at Moyoye. On inspecting the camp, Odzala’s Anti-Poaching Unit found evidence that the site had been used to cut and shape ivory into artifacts. The two men were charged but released on bail and the case is currently before the national prosecutor.
In November at Yengo control post, south east of Odzala, a Chinese national was arrested by Odzala’s eco-guards after a piece of ivory was found in his laptop bag. Traces of ivory were subsequently discovered again at the CRBC camp at Moyoye where the Chinese national was based. He was arrested but released by the prosecutor based in Ouesso.
In late November, anti-poaching operations supported by PALF resulted in the arrests of eight people, with more arrests set to follow. The operation started with an enormous elephant tusk seized by PALF and a consortium of NGOs, while another ivory haul from a dealer included a sack full of sculpted ivory. On 30 November, another dealer with sculpted ivory was arrested and later that day a 32-year-old Chinese national attempted to board a flight at Maya Maya Airport in Brazzaville with a suitcase of ivory after bribing a "fixer” to get it through. A team of people from the Ministry of Forest Economy and Sustainable Development working with the Departmental Director of the Lusaka Agreement Task Force and the Gendarmerie Nationale arrested the Chinese national along with the person who accepted the bribe to facilitate the passage of his luggage.
African Parks wishes to congratulate the Congolese Ministry of Forest Economy and Sustainable Development, the Gendarmerie Nationale, PALF and Odzala-Kokoua’s Anti-Poaching Unit on these recent breakthroughs. "The growing list of arrests is a testimony to the fact that our combined tactics are delivering results in the fight against elephant poaching in the region,” said African Parks CEO Peter Fearnhead.
Editor’s Notes:
At 13 500km² in size, Odzala-Kokoua is the Congo’s largest national park and is located in the second largest rainforest region in the world.
Prior to African Parks taking on the management of Odzala under the auspices of the Odzala-Kokoua Foundation in 2011, the central area of the park had not been patrolled for four years. Since then, African Parks has implemented a multi-pronged anti-poaching plan to address threats. This has included a groundbreaking amnesty programme that has seen the recruitment and training of 28 former poachers to become eco-guards (focused on anti-poaching) and 17 former poachers trained as eco-monitors (focused on research and monitoring).
In May this year, five applicants to the Odzala Amnesty Programme confessed to previously working with Congolese ivory kingpin, Ngondjo Ghislain, known by the nick-name "Pepito”. "Pepito” was convicted in July and is currently serving a five-year prison sentence.
In 2014, with the assistance of the US-based Richardson Foundation, African Parks plans to set up a permanent eco-guard training facility in Odzala-Kokoua National Park.