Not sure if this has been posted but.......

JOHANNESBURG – Authorities in Africa hunted down one of their biggest trophies to date last week -- an ivory-trafficking mastermind they say is at the center of a trade that has seen more than 500,000 elephants killed for their tusks in recent decades.

Yang Feng Glan, the Chinese woman dubbed the “Queen of Ivory,” was nabbed in Tanzania after a special task force from the nation's National and Transnational Serious Crimes Investigation Unit stalked her for a year as she shuttled between Beijing, Uganda and Tanzania facilitating the illegal tusk trade.

"The most notorious ivory trafficker brought to task so far," the U.S.-based Elephant Action League said, describing Glan after her capture in the East African nation.

"It's a very important arrest, the most important in Africa in the past years."

- Andrea Crosta, Elephant Action League
Authorities say Glan was the key link between African poachers and buyers in China, where elephant ivory and rhino horns fetch staggering prices. Appearing in court this week in the Tanzanian capital of Dar es Salaam, Glan, 66, was charged with smuggling ivory worth $3 million between 2000 and 2014. Sources inside the investigation say Glan, who was charged along with two local poaching suspects, may have been engaged in the internationally condemned trade since 1980.

According to reports, Glan, who had an influential and prominent standing in Tanzania’s Chinese population, is suspected of also financing poaching gangs' purchase of weapons and vehicles, and paying to bribe officials who let her ring operate brazenly.

Tanzania has the unenviable title of ground zero for ivory poaching in Africa. One government source says 85,000 elephants have been poached for their ivory tusks in the past five years. The nation's elephant population, which stood at 350,000 some 50 years ago, had fallen to just more than 100,000 by 2009. Officials believe it may number only around 35,000 today.

For all of Africa, the elephant population stood at 1.3 million in 1979, but was believed to have fallen to less than 500,000 by 2007, according to National Geographic. The overall numbers have likely fallen further still in the ensuing years.

Importing ivory to the U.S. for commercial reasons is banned. Even the sale of grandfathered ivory is banned in all states except Hawaii, where critics say allowing the sale of such artifacts provides cover for smugglers selling freshly harvested ivory.

Tanzania is known as "ground zero" for elephant poaching, with its once mighty pachyderm population down almost 90 percent over the last half century. (Elephant Action League)
The dwindling elephant population has driven up ivory prices despite international campaigns to combat poaching. This year, however, the Tanzanian government launched an unprecedented crackdown dubbed Operation Spidernet, which has resulted in a string of arrests of rhino poachers, including one group reportedly based in a church in one of the country’s refugee camps. The investigations are led by the task force, whose members are specially chosen from police and special forces.

Ivory from elephant tusks and rhino horns are in great demand in China. (Elephant Action League) Expand / Contract
Ivory from elephant tusks and rhino horns are in great demand in China. (Elephant Action League)
The arrest of Glan is the biggest blow to the poaching industry in recent memory, say experts.

"It's a very important arrest, the most important in Africa in the past years," said Elephant Action League Executive Director Andrea Crosta. "The hope is that she will talk and lead the task force not only to her Chinese business partners, but also to local corrupt government officials who probably knew about it, and helped her out. She has been trafficking ivory for at least the past 10 years, and you don't smuggle for so long and [with] such big quantities without the knowledge and collaboration of some local officials."


http://www.foxnews.com/science...stermind-nabbed.html

Wow, the 24/7 coverage by the main stream media, the death threats and protests by PETA, the Humane Society, World Wildlife Fund, etc., all the speeches by pandering politicians, the crying late night hosts; it's all just deafening.

Seriously, compared to this woman and her co-conspirators, what the dentist hunter of that lion did was mere jaywalking.

All those lemmings have no sense of proportion.

It will be interesting to see how this arrest will be covered by the media. I certainly know how she would be delt with if we hunters could deal out her and her cronys punishment.

Lucky for her she isn't in Canada, she might have gotten a 100.00 fine!!!!!

Well, it made the front page of the Fox News website. Not sure other than that.

quote:

Originally posted by impala#03:
It will be interesting to see how this arrest will be covered by the media. I certainly know how she would be delt with if we hunters could deal out her and her cronys punishment.

Sadly I doubt there will be any coverage other than this. It just doesn't make the news splash like a lion with a name.

One Bullet!

Make it a solid, K-man, so you can reload it again.

Waterboarding and interrogation every day for two weeks, then a solid bullet to the head so it will exit and be untraceable, then dropped from an unmarked helicopter into the nearest Chinese diplomatic facility with a note that reads, "Next!?"

quote:

Originally posted by Kambaku:
One Bullet!

And, charge her family for the cost of the round.

quote:

Originally posted by impala#03:
It will be interesting to see how this arrest will be covered by the media. I certainly know how she would be delt with if we hunters could deal out her and her cronys punishment.

Hyena bait comes to mind!

What a tragedy!

Math related to the article.


Glan is responsible for $3,000,000 of ivory in the last 15 years.

Hypothetical price of $200 per pound equals 15,000 pounds of ivory

Hypothetical weight of 15 pounds per tusk or 30 pounds per elephant equal 500 elephants.


Tanzania government source states 85,000 elephants have been poached in Tanzania in the last five years.


Question, what poacher is responsible for poaching the other 84,500 elephants?

Can the government sources and the reporter not do math or is Glan a midlevel sacrifice to protect the real powers that be?

quote:

Originally posted by AilsaWheels:
Math related to the article.


Glan is responsible for $3,000,000 of ivory in the last 15 years.

Hypothetical price of $200 per pound equals 15,000 pounds of ivory

Hypothetical weight of 15 pounds per tusk or 30 pounds per elephant equal 500 elephants.


Tanzania government source states 85,000 elephants have been poached in Tanzania in the last five years.


Question, what poacher is responsible for poaching the other 84,500 elephants?

Can the government sources and the reporter not do math or is Glan a midlevel sacrifice to protect the real powers that be?

Great point. Tanzania has a dismal track record of prosecution on this front. The Serious Crimes unit is one of the few bodies that is able to effectively push things through, but even they struggle when going after Tanzanians. Her being Chinese makes the legal side more likely to continue. But as you say, she is probably more mid level. The sad thing is that many of the large players are actually known, just nothing is done about them.

quote:

Originally posted by StormsGSP:

quote:

Originally posted by AilsaWheels:
Math related to the article.


Glan is responsible for $3,000,000 of ivory in the last 15 years.

Hypothetical price of $200 per pound equals 15,000 pounds of ivory

Hypothetical weight of 15 pounds per tusk or 30 pounds per elephant equal 500 elephants.


Tanzania government source states 85,000 elephants have been poached in Tanzania in the last five years.


Question, what poacher is responsible for poaching the other 84,500 elephants?

Can the government sources and the reporter not do math or is Glan a midlevel sacrifice to protect the real powers that be?

Great point. Tanzania has a dismal track record of prosecution on this front. The Serious Crimes unit is one of the few bodies that is able to effectively push things through, but even they struggle when going after Tanzanians. Her being Chinese makes the legal side more likely to continue. But as you say, she is probably more mid level. The sad thing is that many of the large players are actually known, just nothing is done about them.

Agreed, not being able to prosecute high level Tanzanians goes back to the early days. Eric Balson was head of antipoaching for Tanzania in the early 1970's. He had proof that implicated cabinet level individuals and the vice president. Also implicated were members of the Kenyatta family. Nothing was done and he fled the country under threat of death.

He wrote a book documenting everything and naming names. Publishers wouldn't touch the book unless he backed off on naming some of the names. It wasn't proper to challenge the new political leaders of Africa at that time. Balson refused. The book was never published. The Bwana passed away last year taking that manuscript to the grave. The elephants and rhino of Tanzania are poorer without it.

Hopefully indictments and prosecution will ripple its way through the large players this time. The cynic in me doesn't see much hope of that happening.

quote:

Originally posted by AilsaWheels:

quote:

Originally posted by StormsGSP:

quote:

Originally posted by AilsaWheels:
Math related to the article.


Glan is responsible for $3,000,000 of ivory in the last 15 years.

Hypothetical price of $200 per pound equals 15,000 pounds of ivory

Hypothetical weight of 15 pounds per tusk or 30 pounds per elephant equal 500 elephants.


Tanzania government source states 85,000 elephants have been poached in Tanzania in the last five years.


Question, what poacher is responsible for poaching the other 84,500 elephants?

Can the government sources and the reporter not do math or is Glan a midlevel sacrifice to protect the real powers that be?

Great point. Tanzania has a dismal track record of prosecution on this front. The Serious Crimes unit is one of the few bodies that is able to effectively push things through, but even they struggle when going after Tanzanians. Her being Chinese makes the legal side more likely to continue. But as you say, she is probably more mid level. The sad thing is that many of the large players are actually known, just nothing is done about them.

Agreed, not being able to prosecute high level Tanzanians goes back to the early days. Eric Balson was head of antipoaching for Tanzania in the early 1970's. He had proof that implicated cabinet level individuals and the vice president. Also implicated were members of the Kenyatta family. Nothing was done and he fled the country under threat of death.

He wrote a book documenting everything and naming names. Publishers wouldn't touch the book unless he backed off on naming some of the names. It wasn't proper to challenge the new political leaders of Africa at that time. Balson refused. The book was never published. The Bwana passed away last year taking that manuscript to the grave. The elephants and rhino of Tanzania are poorer without it.

Hopefully indictments and prosecution will ripple its way through the large players this time. The cynic in me doesn't see much hope of that happening.

Check out the EIA's 2014 report called Vanishing Point, it is a modern day version of what you describe. Great overview of the problem, who is involved, and the complete failure to do anything against these high level Tanzanians.

I hope this is Tanzania being serious and not just trying to impress USF&WS. Don't know about their laws. Zim has minimum mandatory jail terms under the Parks & Wildlife Act (9 years +), if not the magistrates will hand down ridiculously ineffective sentences for people like this.

I've gotta say, I'm not a fan, but the EIA does some good investigating. The data all adds up.

quote:

Originally posted by StormsGSP:

quote:

Originally posted by AilsaWheels:

quote:

Originally posted by StormsGSP:

quote:

Originally posted by AilsaWheels:
Math related to the article.


Glan is responsible for $3,000,000 of ivory in the last 15 years.

Hypothetical price of $200 per pound equals 15,000 pounds of ivory

Hypothetical weight of 15 pounds per tusk or 30 pounds per elephant equal 500 elephants.


Tanzania government source states 85,000 elephants have been poached in Tanzania in the last five years.


Question, what poacher is responsible for poaching the other 84,500 elephants?

Can the government sources and the reporter not do math or is Glan a midlevel sacrifice to protect the real powers that be?

Great point. Tanzania has a dismal track record of prosecution on this front. The Serious Crimes unit is one of the few bodies that is able to effectively push things through, but even they struggle when going after Tanzanians. Her being Chinese makes the legal side more likely to continue. But as you say, she is probably more mid level. The sad thing is that many of the large players are actually known, just nothing is done about them.

Agreed, not being able to prosecute high level Tanzanians goes back to the early days. Eric Balson was head of antipoaching for Tanzania in the early 1970's. He had proof that implicated cabinet level individuals and the vice president. Also implicated were members of the Kenyatta family. Nothing was done and he fled the country under threat of death.

He wrote a book documenting everything and naming names. Publishers wouldn't touch the book unless he backed off on naming some of the names. It wasn't proper to challenge the new political leaders of Africa at that time. Balson refused. The book was never published. The Bwana passed away last year taking that manuscript to the grave. The elephants and rhino of Tanzania are poorer without it.

Hopefully indictments and prosecution will ripple its way through the large players this time. The cynic in me doesn't see much hope of that happening.

Check out the EIA's 2014 report called Vanishing Point, it is a modern day version of what you describe. Great overview of the problem, who is involved, and the complete failure to do anything against these high level Tanzanians.

Thanks for the recommendation. I was unaware of this report. It seems to be well researched. It is certainly enlightening.

Perhaps the Tanzania government is taking steps in the right direction and this arrest is one more gear taken out of the machine.

For the elephants sake lets pray that is the case.

https://allafrica.com/stories/201902200676.html



Tanzania: 'Ivory Queen', Accomplices Handed 15-Year Prison Terms

By Hadija Jumanne


Dar es Salaam — Chinese national Yang Feng Glan, alias Ivory Queen, was yesterday sentenced to 15 years in jail for trafficking in ivory.

Yang, 66, was jailed along with Tanzanian co-accused Salvius Matembo and Philemon Manase, who were also found guilty by the Kisutu Resident Magistrate's Court. The verdict was delivered by Resident Magistrate Huruma Shaidi.

The accused faced three counts, including setting up a syndicate to collect 860 elephant tusks weighing 15,900 kilos, which came from 430 elephants.

They were also found guilty of collecting and transporting tusks, which is contrary to the law.

In the third count, the accused were found guilty of purchasing and illegally exporting ivory.



Mr Shaidi sentenced each of the accused to 15 years in jail for the first and second counts, and fined them Sh27.86 billion each for the third count. Failure to pay the fines will see them spend an additional two years behind bars. The jail sentences will run concurrently.

The court also directed the authorities to confiscate Ms Yang's farm and house located in Muheza District, Tanga Region, because they were used in the illegal ivory trade.

The three trafficked in ivory worth Sh13 billion between 2000 and 2014.

Ms Yang was arrested in October 2015 and charged with ivory smuggling.

She was tracked by the National and Transnational Serious Crimes Investigation Unit for more than a year, and was arrested after a high-speed car chase.

Her arrest was welcomed by conservationists, including US-based Elephant Action League co-founder Andrea Crosta.

"It's the news that we all have been waiting for years," Mr Crosta was quoted saying.

"We must put an end to the time of the untouchables if we want to save the elephant," he added.

He said Ms Yang was "connected to various companies abroad, all Chinese-owned, and circulates in the upper echelons of Chinese citizens living and working in Tanzania".

Finally good news!

66 + 15 = life!

She deserves it!

Is that a significant fine? I assume not, as non payment only adds two years.

Is it Glan or Yang?

Both names are used.

Should be: Consecutive sentences.

With all the billions of bills Saeed showed
us awhile back I'd bet that's not much of a
fine.

George

quote:

Originally posted by georgeld:
Is it Glan or Yang?

Both names are used.

Should be: Consecutive sentences.

With all the billions of bills Saeed showed
us awhile back I'd bet that's not much of a
fine.

George

I believe Saeed has posted the Zim currency, not the Tanzania currenc, which yer fines seem to be based upon.

quote:

Originally posted by DCS Member:
Is that a significant fine? I assume not, as non payment only adds two years.

I believe it's nearly $12 million USD per person.

Greg