Seven smugglers involved in the illegal ivory trade from Uganda to Singapore have been arrested as a result of an 18-month investigation by African and Asian law enforcement officials, a counter-trafficking organisation said. The operation netted a top Kenyan customs officer and shipping agents who facilitated the covert ivory pipeline, highlighting progress in Africa on cross-border collaboration by law enforcement agencies, Freeland, the anti-trafficking organisation that supported the operation, said. Read: Africans tell harrowing stories of elephant poaching, beg for ivory banHowever, environmentalists say law enforcement agencies are increasingly disrupting smuggling networks. Those arrested were linked to a seizure in March 2014 of a tonne of ivory in Singapore. Although the operation was focused on ivory smuggling, Freeland said a wildlife trafficking kingpin on Interpol's wanted 'Red Notice' list who was involved in smuggling pangolin scales had been caught and extradited to Tanzania.

Source: The Star June 12, 2017 11:37 UTC