NIMULE – Uganda Revenue Authority has intercepted three containers carrying Ivory and pangolin scales (Amaliba g’enswaswa) concealed in logs of wood purportedly for export to Vietnam.
The revelation was made by Dickson Kateshumbwa, Commissioner Customs (URA) who told journalists that about 750 pieces of ivory have been found in the containers an estimation of 300 elephants that suffered in hands of poachers and smugglers.
He explained that in the process, two nationalities of Vietnam origins have been arrested and are to be charged in courts of law since trading in endangered species is prohibited.
Kateshumbwa also said that the tracks carrying the items were intercepted at the Nimule-Sudan boarder and that URA is to work with sister agency the Uganda Wildlife Authority to trace the origin of these items adding that such practices are unfortunate and alarming as they threaten the animal species on the continent Africa.
The Commissioner said: “Trading in endangered species is prohibited under the law and we believe that this is a very massive discovery and we intend to investigate the whole chain and we get the real people behind it because by the time you have 300 animals dead to accumulate all these husks, it means it must be a transnational syndicate and we must unearth it, but we are going to charge these people in court.”
