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to have tentacles throughout Central and Southern Africa has been arrested in the US for dealing in poached ivory.
Victor Gordon (68), who was arrested in the US for dealing in ivory poached from Africa, was released on Wednesday on US$1 million bail.
Gordon pleaded not guilty in the US federal court in Brooklyn to charges of conspiracy, smuggling and violating the Lacey Act, an anti-trafficking law aimed at curbing illegal shipments of protected wildlife, including ivory.
Federal officials seized roughly a tonne of ivory from Gordon’s various stores in the largest US seizure on record.
According to an indictment filed in federal court in New York, Gordon paid an unidentified co-conspirator US$32 000 to undertake several trips to buy “raw” ivory in Africa between May 2006 and April 2009.
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Environment and Natural Resources Management Minister Francis Nhema is on record as saying poachers in the region have become much more sophisticated and using advanced equipment than security forces.
This points out to the presence of big international money behind the syndicates.
The arrest of Gordon, a major final buyer of the ivory, is likely to cripple some of the poaching syndicates to the advantage of the endangered species.
Gordon allegedly had his agent purchase raw elephant ivory and get it carved then stained or dyed so that it appeared old and therefore, not subject to endangered species law, federal prosecutors in Brooklyn allege.
He then sold the carved tusks through his shop in Philadelphia, Victor Gordon Enterprises, they said.
It has long been an assumption by the authorities and the general public that almost all ivory poached in Africa ends up in Asia.
Asians are particularly blamed for endangering rhino populations in Africa as they value the horn for its alleged aphrodisiac qualities.
Asians have also been implicated in international elephant tusk poaching syndicates.
Trade in the ivory of African elephants is illegal under the 1975 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, better known as Cites.
Experts predict that the African elephant will be extinct within a decade if the killing continues to escalate.
In Zimbabwe, police have arrested three men on allegations of possessing two elephant tusks in Chitungwiza.
The three were arrested by detectives from the Criminal Investigations Department Border Control Unit on Sunday following a tip-off.
Unit spokesperson Detective Inspector Bright Matimbe yesterday confirmed the arrests and said investigations were still in progress
“Our detectives received information that the trio was in possession of elephant tusks weighing 8kg, leading to their arrest,” he said.
He said the suspects were still in custody. Detective Insp Matimbe warned poachers that police were out to get them.
“We would also want to urge members of the public to desist from such activities as we will not hesitate to arrest all those found on the wrong side of the law.
Last week, 10 men, including four former soldiers, were arrested in Harare in two separate incidents for poaching and illegal possession of ivory and rhino horns. – newsfeedresearcher.com/crime reporter.
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