Two Big Wildlife Cases At The Bonanjo Court

Three traffickers at the wildlife office in Douala

Two trials involving wildlife traffickers arrested with pangolin scales and ivory shall hold at the Bonanjo court of first instance on January 22 and 26. The first case is against three wildlife traffickers arrested in Douala on November 21, 2017 with 128 kg of pangolin scales The three were arrested red-handed while they attempted to sell the pangolin scales.

                The suspects aged 42, 41 and 33 operated a ring of pangolin scales traffickers according to sources close to the matter that requested to speak anonymously. The ring operated in the East Region, principally in Doume were two of the three were based, and in Douala. The two who were based in Doume bought pangolin scales from other smaller traffickers, in the small town and villages around, putting together hundreds of kilogrammes of scales and would travel to the Douala to hook up with the third trafficker who did the marketing, searching for clients, negotiating the prices and selling the products. This was done from his home and it was during this transaction that police and wildlife officials made an incursion and arrested them red-handed.

                Five bags of pangolins scales weighing 128kg were recovered from the scene.  Our sources told us that the illegal business had been going on at this premises for some time and ivory was one of the major products that was trafficked by the gang. Prior investigations had equally established that the gang was deeply involved in ivory trafficking.

                The second ring of traffickers who shall be standing trial at the same court were arrested with 158 ivory tusks, over 1000kg of pangolin scales 124 parrot heads and over 1300 parrot feathers that was heading to Nigeria according to our sources. The destination of the products and the quantities involved point to a very organized business that use Douala as a collection centre for products sourced from different parts of the country.

                Wildlife law enforcement experts say there is a probable link between ivory and pangolin scales trafficking. Ivory traffickers are taking advantage of their long-groomed skills in handling bulk to engaging in pangolin trafficking that warrants bulk management skills. The expertise needed in concealing and transporting ivory is clearly adapted to handling of pangolin scales. The recent surge in prices of pangolin scales in Asian markets is attracting ivory traffickers into the scales business.  Many ivory traffickers have shifted into pangolin scales trafficking or simply included scales trafficking to their portfolio. This can only be extremely bad news for law enforcement agencies because ivory traffickers are among the most sophisticated in the business and very difficult to investigate and arrest.

                According to the wildlife law anyone found in possession of part or whole of a protected wildfire species is considered to have killed or captured the animal and could face an imprisonment term of up to 3 years.