Massive smuggling scam unearthed

By Vincent Gono

ZIMBABWE could be losing millions of dollars in revenue to a syndicate involving International Police Organisation (Interpol) officials working in cahoots with Zimbabwean poachers which is smuggling zebra skins to South Africa en-route to lucrative Italian markets, Sunday News can reveal.



An impeccable source within the Parks and Wildlife Management Authority revealed to this newspaper that some officials in Interpol were working hand in glove with poachers in facilitating the smuggling of zebra skins through the Plumtree border post to South Africa where they were processed and shipped to Italy.
“The Parks and Wildlife Management Authority of Zimbabwe has been carrying out investigations where it has established that Zimbabwean poachers and parks officials are working in cahoots with Interpol to smuggle zebra skins into South Africa where a tanning company is processing the smuggled skins which are then sold to the Italian market where they are paid in hard currency thereby prejudicing the authority of millions of dollars.
“The smuggling became rife at Plumtree border post after loopholes were plugged at Beitbridge when a ‘front man’ was arrested for the same offence after being found with 18 zebra skins that were destined for South Africa,’’ said the source on condition of anonymity.
The source added that the Parks and Wildlife Management Authority had gathered a lot of evidence so far regarding the smuggling syndicate and once the investigations were over the perpetrators would be brought to book.
The source said the investigations might also see some Customs and Excise officials at the country’s entry and exit points being arrested as it had been established that they were aiding the poachers in the smuggling of wildlife products after receiving kickbacks.
“We have since realised that there is a lot of corruption at the country’s entry and exit points. The borders are used as conduits of smuggling of wildlife products into South Africa. It is difficult to stamp out corruption in the country because of the involvement of respected high-ranking officials in the force and other Government departments especially at the borders,’’ said the source.
The Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Cde Francis Nhema, last week lamented the increase in poaching activities in the country, saying poaching and the smuggling of wildlife products was threatening the survival of wildlife.
He said it was disheartening to note that poachers were in some instances aided by officials from the Parks and Wildlife Management Authority who were themselves supposed to be the custodians of the wildlife.
When conducted for comment on the issue, the Parks and Wildlife Management Authority public relations officer, Ms Caroline Washaya-Moyo, said the authority was working together with Interpol and had come up with a number of measures meant to reduce wildlife crime in the country.
She confirmed that South Africa was the largest consumer of zebra skins and said poachers had a tendency of using undesignated entry and exit points into South Africa where there was a ready market for many wildlife products.
Ms Washaya-Moyo could neither confirm nor deny the alleged connivance of some Interpol officials, officials at the border posts and poachers in the smuggling of wildlife products out of the country.
She said the authority had no mandate whatsoever to speak on behalf of the said departments.
“Information cannot be substantiated as poachers have a tendency of using undesignated entry and exits into South Africa. Information at hand suggests that South Africa is the main consumer of zebra skins ahead of the 2010 World Cup. As for Parks officials working to conceal activities by poachers, no official from our department has been brought to court on allegations of criminal abuse of office for facilitating the export of zebra skins and other game products at any of our border posts,” she said.
A dry salted zebra skin costs US$300 while a processed zebra skin costs US$750 and the country may be losing huge amounts of money to smuggling.

Thanks Kathi...

Unreal...

I bet much more stuff goes on like this all the time....unbeknownst to us

What a tragedy... ....In times like this I feel so naive...

The horse wallop that takes place in Zim is bad enough, but that so much criminal crap takes place in South Africa makes me ashamed of the country of my birth.