This archive of published media articles about wildlife crime in Namibia aims to:
Public access to information is a vital component of ensuring community engagement in prevalent issues. Wildlife crime is one of the pressing environmental issues of our time.
Wildlife crime investigations are generally covert operations requiring utmost confidentiality to succeed. Investigations and prosecutions in complex cases may take months or even years to complete. For this reason, the information that can be released to the public without compromising cases is often limited. Nonetheless, the Namibian government strives to share as much information as possible with the public.
The Namibian media has welcomed this approach and regularly publishes statistics and feature articles on wildlife crime. These are entered into the database at regular intervals, creating a comprehensive archive of wildlife crime reporting in Namibia.
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A now 51 year old Czech who was found trying to smuggle 85 geckos, two snakes and two scorpions from Namibia into the EU via the Vienna Airport on the 23rd of May 2023 has been charged and fined 4000 Euros by a court in Austria (no date given) and all animals forfeited to the state. This was confirmed by the Head Public Relations Official of the Austrian Ministry of Finance, Steffan Trittner, after inquiring via e-mail a month ago. No further details were given because of "protection of data privacy".
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NAM_2024_04_Smuggler fined €4000_Facebook.pdf | 540.1 KB |
A suspected plant-tracking kingpin, Diana Mashiku (29) from Tanzania, and her three Namibian co-accused are scheduled to apply for bail on Thursday in the Opuwo Magistrate's Court. Mashiku and her Namibian assistants - Veisiruaije Tjavara (25), Jenniter Simataa (37) and Tjivinda Unatavi (31) - were arrested for allegedly being in possession of 46 Adenia pechuelii plants, known as elephant's foot, which they allegedly harvested without a permit. They were arrested between 21 October and 10 November in the Okondjombo area of the Kunene region.
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NAM_2023_12_Bail hearing in rare_plant poaching case_The Namibian.pdf | 120.47 KB |
A suspected plant-tracking kingpin, Diana Mashiku (29) from Tanzania, and her three Namibian co-accused are scheduled to appear in court for a bail hearing on 21 December. Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism spokesperson Romeo Muyunda says there is a growing trend of criminal syndicates using locals to illegally harvest Namibia's unique plant species. "This case is one of many where international poaching syndicates use Namibian enablers to persuade local community members to nd and harvest the plants for a small fee.
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NAM_2023_12_Rare plant poaching case heading to court_The Namibian.pdf | 121.36 KB |
Police in the Overberg region of the Western Cape confiscated abalone with an estimated street value of R2.4 million on Thursday night.
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SA_2021_09_Police seize abalone in the Western Cape worth about R2_4 million_The Citizen.pdf | 370.36 KB |
The Hawks have arrested two men after they were found in possession of rhino horn and suspected stolen property in Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape.
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SA_2021_02_Two men bust with rhino horn in Eastern Cape restaurant_Times Live.pdf | 447.4 KB |