Tanzania arrests man in possession of 338 pieces of elephant tusks

In Dar es Salaam, A man who has been wanted since 2016 and has owned 338 pieces of elephant tusks, according to the Tanzanian Ministry of Natural Resources.

The poacher had the 338 pieces and also 75 whole tusks, presumably of 117 elephants, buried under his house, says the ministry during the announcement. Seven suspected accomplices of “this network leader” were also arrested, according to the department, which states that the tusks were not only from Tanzania but also from neighboring Mozambique.

“Until his arrest Tuesday, he had not been able to sell his stock, because we have become very vigilant,” the minister of Natural Resources, Hamisi Kigwangalla, quotes.

“I give everyone who owns tusks of elephants a month to hand them over to the government bodies. Whoever does this within this period will not be prosecuted,” Kigwangalla assured.

According to the minister, a thousand poachers have been arrested in Tanzania since 2016. Some of them carried war weapons.