13:52
BY IDDA MUSHI
Police in Morogoro Region are looking for suspected poachers who abandoned their vehicle and ran off after police stopped them. Thorough search of the abandoned vehicle revealed a consignment of ivory estimated at close to 30m/- and police have pledged a ‘large reward’ to any with information that will lead to the arrest of the fugitives.
Police in Morogoro Region are looking for suspected poachers who abandoned their vehicle and ran off after police stopped them. Thorough search of the abandoned vehicle revealed a consignment of ivory estimated at close to 30m/- and police have pledged a ‘large reward’ to any with information that will lead to the arrest of the fugitives.
The Udzungwa Mountains National Park in collaboration with the police in Morogoro Region has succeeded to impound 18 pieces of elephant tusks worth 29.4m/- following a tip off that led to the dramatic ambush of the suspect’s vehicle.
The Morogoro Regional Police Commander, Faustine Shilogile, reported the incident to have occurred over the weekend on Saturday evening at approximately 5pm in Mto Mwaya Mang'ula in Kilombero District.
The suspect’s vehicle, a grey Mark II, registration T557 AYR, has been impounded but not after the suspects abandoned it on the road side after been pulled over. No report has been released as to the vehicle’s ownership or whether it was a stolen.
The RC recapped the incident saying the suspects (whose number was also not specified) were headed out of Ifakara town and when pulled over, they complied but then took off on foot into nearby bushes leaving behind their consignment of elephant tusks in the car.
The police gave chase but to no avail and as of now, no reports have been issued as to the suspect’s whereabouts or any lead towards tracking them down. Initial investigation reports have also not been availed and it is not yet known whether the suspect’s finger prints (if any) have been lifted off the vehicle and/or the retrieved property.
Chief Conservator of the Udzungwa Mountain National Park, Vitalis Turuka, has reason to believe that the 34 kilos of elephant tusks were probably obtained from Ifakara or Mahenge after at least nine elephants were killed in the days past.
Last year, another consignment was impounded in the same park, in that case a suspect is in custody and the case is ongoing.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
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