Container full of elephant tusks seized in Dar

By David Kisanga

3rd January 2014

Lazaro Nyalandu, Natural Resources and Tourism Deputy Minister

Only two days after President Jakaya Kikwete announced the imminent relaunch of Operation Tokomeza, customs officials at the Dar es Salaam Port seized a container of ivory tusks reportedly being shipped to China. It was not immediately established how many tusks were in the container or their value.

Natural Resources and Tourism Deputy Minister Lazaro Nyalandu confirmed the seizure of the haul but could not give further details.

The deputy Minister said that the ministry was examining the haul after which it would issue a statement.

Reports obtained at the Port yesterday said that the container arrived at the port on Wednesday escorted by people believed to be police officers.

Sources who preferred not to be mentioned told The Guardian that the container was set to be shipped to China.

Efforts to get responses from the police were unsuccessful as our reporter was informed that they were in a meeting.

Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) Acting Director General Madeni Kipande told reporters at the scene that the container was seized late on Wednesday evening.
He said the move followed tips from impeccable sources over illegal transportation of ivory tusks.

“We impounded the tusks in a container that was to be shipped. However I am not on a position to give details,” Kipande, said urging reporters to seek clarification from the Minister.

Last Week, the Deputy Minister Nyalandu told a press conference that at least 60 elephants had been killed in various national parks and game reserves within the country after the suspension of Operation Tokomeza, aimed at fighting poachers and those behind the ivory trade.

The operation was suspended and four cabinet ministers forced to resign after a parliamentary report exposed abuse of human rights and the country’s mother law by the implementers.

President Jakaya Kikwete in his last month’s address, announced that the operation would be re-launched to safeguard wildlife, still threatened by poachers.

In a related move in November last year, anti-smuggling unit, the police and Tanzania Intelligence Services impounded tusks weighing 2,915 kilogrammes with a street value of $4.7million (over 7.48bn/-) at Malindi Port in Zanzibar, packed in 50-kilogramme plastic bags.

In order to cover up the haul, the suspects packed sea shells in some plastic bags before placing them at the entry point of a container. 

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

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