Maputo — Mozambique's National Criminal Investigation Service (SERNIC) on Sunday aborted an attempted sale of four elephant tusks in Mágoè district, in the central province of Tete.
According to Celina Roque, SERNIC spokesperson in Tete, three individuals were arrested in connection with the case. However, the one who is believed to be the mastermind is still on the run.
"The elephant tusks, which weigh thirty kilos, were seized at the home of one of the detainees. The tusks were to be sold for 150,000 Meticais (2,300 US dollars at the current exchange rate). One of the detainees denies his involvement in the crime and claims to have only been an intermediary', she said.
"We have a fugitive, but our agents are already on the ground so that the criminal can be neutralized', she added.
One of the detainees, when interviewed by reporters, claimed that his main task in the case was to photograph the tusks and send a photo to the potential buyer.
"My neighbor only asked me to take a photo. He said that when he did the deal, he'd give me some of the money', he said. He claimed that the tusks were acquired in Mágoè National Park.
