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A FIVE-MEMBER gang was hauled to court yesterday for allegedly being unlawfully in possession of ivory worth US$5 000.
Edwell Jori, Taurai Chinembiri, Josephine Rungwe, Portion Zhuga and Last Mawurikira were not asked to plead when they appeared before Harare magistrate Dennis Mangosi.
The court heard that on February 13, detectives from the Minerals, Flora and Fauna Unit received a tip-off that the gang was in possession of ivory in Kuwadzana and looking for a potential buyer.
The police went to Kuwadzana and conducted surveillance, and spotted the gang in a Toyota Hiace.
The cops pounced on the gang and searched the vehicle where they found four elephant tusks stashed in a white sack.
They asked them to produce a licence and they failed, leading to their arrest.
The recovered ivory weighed 26.9kgs.
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter