Asia, Africa And North America Join Hands Cracking Down Wildlife Crime Syndicates

Police, Customs and wildlife officers from Asia, Africa and the United States announced today that a cross border enforcement operation codenamed “COBRA” was successfully carried out. The month-long effort was described as “An international, intelligence-driven operation aimed at dismantling organized wildlife crime syndicates with significant results and the prospect for more.” Read more

Tanzania and Zambia National Bureaus bet to enhance cross-border Cooperation against Wildlife crime

The 1st Bilateral Meeting between Tanzania and Zambia wildlife officers on co-operation in Wildlife Law Enforcement was held on 23rd and 24th August, 2012, in Tunduma, Tanzania under the auspices of the Lusaka Agreement. The meeting brought together officers from Lusaka Agreement National Bureaus of both countries to discuss suppression of cross-border wildlife crime. Read more

Charting transnational poaching networks between Uganda and Tanzania

Lusaka Agreement Task Force (LATF) led intelligence officers from Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), Tanzania Wildlife Division (TWD) and Tanzania Police in a joint intelligence gathering mission in Mutukula (Uganda/Tanzania) border and the surrounding areas in April (23rd to 27th ) 2012. Read more

Poaching masterminds arrested during a LATF-ZAWA joint operation in Zambia's Southern province

Two Zambian poaching masterminds and illegal traffickers of elephant ivory were arrested in Kazungula area in the Southern Province of Zambia during a ten-day LATF / ZAWA sting joint law enforcement operation code named 'KINGSTONE'. The notorious poachers who have been on ZAWA's hot pursuit for about 10 years, were together with six other poachers under their command apprehended on 1st April 2012. Read more

Suspects nabbed and wildlife contraband seized during LATF sting operation

In January 2011, the Lusaka Agreement Task Force (LATF) and the Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) conducted a joint law enforcement operation code named ‘Western Mansion” in Lusaka which extended to the Southern and Western provinces of Zambia in towns of Gweembe and Sesheke. Read more

Another King pin of illegal elephant ivory trafficking arrested in Tanzania

A Chinese National (Li Guibang) was arrested on 4th January 2011 in Dar es Salaam city, Tanzania following the ongoing investigation of 769 pieces of elephant tusks. Read more

Lusaka Agreement Task Force Officer awarded for combating illegal ivory trade

The United Republic of Tanzania Home Affairs Minister, Hon. Shamsi Vuai Nahodha awarded Mr. Theotimos Nestory Rwegasira, a Lusaka Agreement Task Force Field Officer who was part of a team that conducted investigations into the seizure of 1,504.2 kilograms of elephant ivory in Hong Kong during September 2010 that originated from the port of Zanzibar and which had been misdeclared as dried “anchovies". Read more

LATF jointly with Tanzania National Bureau arrest the King pins connected to illegal export of 1.5 tonnes of elephant ivory to Hong Kong

In October 2010, the Lusaka Agreement Task Force jointly with Tanzania National Bureau to the Lusaka Agreement and National Central Bureau INTERPOL-Dar es Salaam  arrested  a king pin (Chinese national) of illegal trafficking of 1.5 tonnes of African elephant ivory to Hong Kong from Zanzibar-Tanzania. In the same operation, a General Manager of a Clearing and Forwarding Company in Zanzibar that facilitated the shipment of the contraband and two other suspects were arrested in Zanzibar – Tanzania as part of a continuing investigation into the seizure that started in September, 2010.Read more

LATF and ZAWA jointly carry out an operation

On 15th June 2010, members of a Joint Operation Team involving the Lusaka Agreement Task Force and Zambia Wildlife Authority raided business premises at the Downtown Shopping Complex in the central business district of Lusaka.Read more

LATF concludes consultations on disposal of 6.5 tonnes ivory seized in Singapore in 2002

LATF held a consultative meeting at the Laico Regency Hotel, Nairobi on 13th May 2010 to discuss modalities for disposal of the 6.5 tonnes of contraband ivory seized in Singapore in June 2002. In attendance were Permanent/Principal Secretaries and senior officials representing Wildlife Ministries from Republics of Malawi, Kenya, Zambia, the United Republic of Tanzania, officials from the Zambian High Commission and the Lusaka Agreement Task Force.Read more

LATF leads investigation team to the Philippines on follow up on 4,861 tonnes of elephant ivory siezed in Manila exported from Port of Dar-es-Salaam

In June 2009, the Lusaka Agreement Task Force (LATF) received information from Interpol NCB-Dar es Salaam concerning the seizure of elephant ivory with total weight of 4,861kg by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) at the port area in Manila, the Philippines.Read more

Suspect of illegal export of elephant tusks to Vietnam arrested in Zanzibar

The Lusaka Agreement Task Force (LATF) working jointly with the Tanzania Wildlife Division (TWD) and Interpol National Central Bureau (NCB) Dar es Salaam on 17th December, 2009 managed to arrest the main suspect in connection with illegal export of 769 pieces of elephant tusks, weighing 2005.6 Kg seized at the port of Hai Phong, Vietnam in August 2009.Read more

LATF and KWS jointly recover pieces of elephant tusks

The Lusaka Agreement Task Force (LATF) working together with the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has managed to recover seven pieces of elephant tusks along the Kenya-Somalia border.Read more

Need for concerted efforts in curbing illegal trade in wild fauna and flora

The Lusaka Agreement Task Force is concerned about the recent seizures of wildlife specimens particularly elephant ivory, rhino horn and live animals in the Far East as recently revealed by the media. This contraband that mainly originates in Africa is symptomatic of an upsurge in illegal wildlife trade.Read more

Threat to Rhino in Uganda

Between March and May 2009 the Lusaka Agreement Task Force worked closely with the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) and other in country organizations and individuals to preempt an immediate threat to Uganda’s White rhinos. The combined efforts resulted in one suspect being convicted in court of law in Masindi and jailed for 18 months.

Investigation on illegal export of live specimen from Tanzania to Holland and Hong Kong

On 20th April 2009 authorities at Amsterdam international Airport seized 82 live Leopard Tortoises which had been exported from Arusha, Tanzania and had been destined to Hong Kong.
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Joint operation between LATF and Zambia Wildlife Authority

Between 5th and 13th August 2009, the Lusaka Agreement Task Force carried out a joint operation with the Zambia Wildlife Authority in Lusaka, Southern and Central provinces of Zambia.Read more

Joint law enforcement operation boosts fight aganist cross border wildlife crime in Zambia

A recent joint law enforcement operation involving officers from Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) and Lusaka Agreement Task Force (LATF) has demonstrated significant progress in improving international cooperation in the fight against cross border wildlife crime. The operation took place in the last week of April and involved a series of sub operations in Copper-belt and Lusaka provinces.Read more

Illegal ivory traders nabbed

An operation against illegal domestic ivory markets and trafficking was carried out in five African countries on 15th November 2008. It was among others, a response to specific requests by African participants during a meeting of the Interpol Working Group on Wildlife Crime in Ngurdoto, Tanzania in October 2007. The operation was code-named ‘Operation Baba’ in honour of the late Gilbert Baba, a Ghanaian Wildlife Ranger who was killed by illegal wildlife traders at the Mole National Park in Ghana a decade ago.Read more