Poachers caught using anti-tank mines on elephants

http://wildlifenews.co.uk
KEVIN HEATH SEPTEMBER 27, 2012


Guns, poisons and electrocution have all been in the armoury of poachers as they target elephants for their tusks. Now another weapon is being used by the poachers in order to kill elephants and that is anti-tank mines.

Mozambique police moved in on a gang of 6 poachers after receiving intelligence from local people that elephants were being targeted with the devices. The police moved in on premises in central Tete province and arrested 6 poachers including 3 from Zimbabwe. One of the Zimbabweans is said to be a sergeant in the army and bought the anti-tank mines into the country.

Police spokesperson in Tete, Jaime Bazo, told Radio Mozambique “The suspects were captured on Sunday in possession of ivory that they extracted from slaughtered elephants in the district of Mogoe in Tete province. They were trying to sell them in the city “

The police did not reveal how much ivory or how many anti-tank mines they recovered but they did say that they believed the poachers had been operating in the area for quite some time.

Zimbabwean poachers have been known to operate in Tete province before. In June a gang of poachers including Zimbabweans had been caught using poison pills to kill the regions elephants for the ivory.