Congo: Three panther skull and skin traffickers arrested in Dolisie in the south of the country

02 Septembre 2020

Brazzaville, Congo, September 2 (Infosplusgabon) - Agents of the Departmental Directorate of Forest Economy, elements of the police and gendarmerie on Monday arrested three alleged traffickers in possession, circulation and attempted marketing of trophies of a panther, the Congolese public radio announced on Wednesday in Brazzaville.

They were arrested in Dolisie, the third-largest city in the southern Congo.

One of those arrested admitted having captured the beast in Banda and took the skin, skull and claws to sell them in Dolisie.

The other two, living in Dolisie, are said to be marketers. All of them, Congo citizens, were taken to the Dolisie prison where they will appear before the town's high court for the following charges - illegal detention, circulation and attempted marketing of panther skin, skull and claws.

The panther, an animal species that is fully protected nationally and internationally, continues to be the target of poachers and traffickers of wildlife products for the sole purpose of making money.

The Republic of Congo, which is committed to protecting this endangered animal specie, remains vigilant and hunts down all those who obstruct the wildlife protection law.

On July 29 at Pointe Noire, two individuals were also arrested with two panther skins and a bag of giant pangolin scales. The trial against them is ongoing. This is proof that the Covid-19, which is currently raging throughout the world, has not deterred wildlife traffickers who, in their actions, are organizing themselves to harm the wildlife heritage.

The panther is protected by the wildlife code of the Republic of Congo. Article 113 of the Congolese Wildlife Code stipulates: "whoever has killed, imported, exported or transited through the national territory, the protected species and or their trophies, is liable to a penalty of up to five (5) years imprisonment and a fine of up to 5 million FCFA".

Article 27 of the Law of 28 November 2008 on Wildlife and Protected Areas is also strict: "the import, export, possession and transit on the national territory of fully protected species; as well as their trophies are strictly prohibited; except by special dispensation from the Water and Forestry Administration; for the needs of scientific research".

FIN/ INFOSPLUSGABON/TFG/GABON2020

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