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Crime Reporter
Another man has been arrested for illegal ivory dealing, being found trying to sell 21 pieces of ivory from his house in Gutu.
Collin Tapfumaneyi Chizengeni (57) was arrested on Sunday, with a sack of ivory at his house in Munhende Location, while looking for buyers, national police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said yesterday.
The latest arrest comes after police recently arrested five suspected poachers in Hwange and recovered two rifles, including an AK47 assault rifle and over 60 rounds of ammunition, plus four elephant tusks, with an estimated weight of 13kg, and a fresh elephant tail and five jungle knives.
Amos Mudenda (65), Patrick Mudenda (67), Liason Mudimba (49), Edwin Munsaka (32), and Lizwe Munenge (42) were charged with possession of raw unmarked ivory without a permit.
Acting on a tip off, detectives pounced on the suspects who were searching for elephant tusk buyers in the Kamativi area, leading to their arrest.
“The suspects were searched and four elephant tusks, with an estimated weight of 13kg, a fresh elephant tail, an AK47 with a magazine of 26 rounds and 29 AK47 loose rounds, a 375 rifle loaded with nine rounds, five 375 rifle loose rounds, four axes, and five jungle knives were recovered,” Asst Comm Nyathi said.
In March, a suspected poacher was shot and killed at Malilangwe Conservancy Trust in Chiredzi during a gunfight with game scouts, while his two accomplices escaped.
The three were spotted in the conservancy by the anti-poaching team, which confronted them, but they tried to escape by firing at the team, resulting in the exchange of gun fire as the game scouts fired back.
Police recovered a CZ550 rifle loaded with one round in the chamber, two spent cartridges, seven spent cartridges of an MK3 rifle, a satchel bag containing a small iron axe and a flick knife.
Police recently unearthed a black rhinoceros poaching syndicate that was moving around targeting the animals and de-horning them.
The rhino is targeted for its horn, which sells for tens of thousands of US dollars in the underground, illegal wildlife markets.
Online Reporter