3 TRAFFICKERS ARRESTED IN KAMWENGE

Three persons, have been arrested this afternoon by officials from Natural Resource Conservation Network Together with Police in Kamwenge District ,Musinguzi Bernard, Bijebere Peter and Orisigarire Charles were cornered for running a racket to capture and sell parts of endangered species of animals such as Hippos, Pangolins and Python skins.
NRCN officials had received a tipoff recently regarding operation of a racket in the district, which has been engaged in illegal trade of endangered species on a regular basis. Acting on the information, a team of NRCN and Police conducted a raid and arrested the two persons.
The Operatives recovered 52 pieces of Hippo Ivory meaning over 15 Hippopotamus were butchered and 4kgs of Pangolin scales plus 2 long skins of mature pythons, sending nature into jeopardy. The arrested are currently detained at CPS Kamwenge waiting to appear in the courts of law for prosecution to commence and a file bearing a charge of “Illegal possession of wildlife trophies or products has already been opened against the three”
Wildlife is hunted aggressively in Uganda and in neighboring countries which has endangered their populations over time. To issue a permit, the exporting country must determine that this activity will have no detriment to the wild population. Insatiable demand for some wildlife products like ivory and pangolins from East and Southeast Asia (particularly from China and Vietnam) has been the primary factor leading to the demise of their populations.