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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Three suspects were shot and fatally wounded in a shootout with police in the early hours of Wednesday, 31 January 2024. Police received intelligence that a group involved in serious crimes including murders committed in the Inanda area were hiding at the Lungelani Informal Settlement in La Mercy. A team comprising of various police disciplines including members of the Hawks descended on the location. Realising that they were surrounded, the suspects opened fire at the police and a shootout ensued.
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SA_2024_31_Three suspects fatally wounded in a shootout with police _SAPS.pdf | 101.56 KB |
'n Vermeende stroper is Sondag op die plaas Kaliombo in die Karibib-omgewing in die been geskiet. Volgens die Namibiese polisie se misdaadverslag het die 65-jarige plaaseienaar omstreeks 23:45 die honde hoor blaf. Veiligheidswagte van K-Sapu het hom ingelig oor vermeende stropers op sy eiendom. Die boer het ondersoek gaan instel en drie mans met vleis gewaar. Die verdagtes was met assegaaie en 'n byl gewapen. Hulle het ook drie honde by hulle gehad. Die verdagtes het na bewering probeer om die boer aan te val.
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NAM_2022_08_Vermeende stroper in been geskiet_Republikein.pdf | 471.87 KB |
NAM_2022_08_Suspected poacher shot in the leg_Republikein_Eng.pdf | 470.19 KB |
A farmer shot and wounded a suspected poacher in the leg at farm Kaliombo in the Karibib district on Sunday. It is alleged the farmer acted in self-defence, after a group of alleged poachers attempted to attack him after he discovered them on his farm. According to a crime update provided by the Namibian police, the farm owner (65) was alerted to possible intruders (65) when he heard dogs barking on Sunday at about 23:45. He was also notified about suspected poachers on his farm by security guards from K-Sapu Security and Anti-Poaching.
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NAM_2022_08_Suspected poacher wounded by farmer_Namibian Sun.pdf | 318.84 KB |
Eleven years ago today, Dawie Groenewald, a little-known ex-policeman turned hunting safari operator, was arrested on charges of masterminding a lucrative rhino horn trafficking network involving professional hunters, vets and a pilot. A police spokesperson described the case at the time as "a huge stride in our undying efforts to thwart rhino poaching". The charges brought against Groenewald involved illegal hunting and the alleged killing of more than 50 of his own rhinos, dealing in rhino horns, money laundering, racketeering and fraud.
Members of Upington Highway patrol have arrested a male suspect in connection with possession of Endangered Species. Police got information about the suspect yesterday and it was operationalized. The suspect was found at a hiking spot in Upington hitch hiking to Olifantshoek. He was searched and pangolin skin was found in his luggage. It is valued at about R108 750.00, weighing 2,05 kg.
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SA_2021-01_Man arrested for posession of pangolin skin_SAPS.pdf | 130.92 KB |
Northern Cape-The Hawks Serious Organised Crime Investigation has resulted in the arrest of a 48-year-old suspect for allegedly trading in a pangolin. The suspect who originates from Botswana was arrested on Tuesday after information surfaced that he intended selling a pangolin that is an endangered species. A sting operation resulted in the suspect being arrested after he was found in possession of the said pangolin.
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SA_2020-06_Services_SAPS.pdf | 134.41 KB |
Well-heeled businessmen are allegedly driving the trade in poached rhino horn in Namibia, using marginal communities as foot soldiers, an amaBhungane/The Namibian investigation has revealed. The role of local entrepreneurs in the horn trade has not previously been highlighted. The popular perception in Namibia is that Chinese nationals are the kingpins in charge of the trade.
Police are investigating an employee of a multinational courier company for attempting to smuggle rhino horns through Eros airport, police spokesperson, commissioner Edwin Kanguatjivi said yesterday.
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NAM_2017-05_Courier worker suspected in rhino horn smuggling_The Namibian.pdf | 249.22 KB |
The police this week arrested two Zambians and two Namibians in the Zambezi region after they were found with elephant tusks and rhino horns.
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NAM_2017-03_Four arrested over Zambezi poaching_The Namibian.pdf | 191.68 KB |
The Chinese embassy in Namibia said it will not allow a few of its nationals who have been arrested in connection with poaching to tarnish their country's image.
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NAM_2016-12_Criminal Chinese tarnishing name_The Namibian.pdf | 466.32 KB |