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From sharks, rhinos to giraffes - they are the focus of the species conservation conference in Samarkand. As of November 24, 185 states in Uzbekistan will be wrestling over trade bans and restrictions. There is a lot at stake: the fate of more than 230 animal and plant species is being decided. The organization Pro Wildlife warns in advance of dangerous steps backwards in the Washington Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which regulates or even prohibits the international trade in plants and animals.

The Tanzanian government has added a charge of money laundering to an economic sabotage case involving three defendants accused of smuggling 164 snakes, lizards, and chameleons without a permit. The accused, Eric Ayo, Ally Ringo, and Aziz Ndago, allegedly transported these wildlife assets valued at Sh20 million, violating local law. Now, instead of the previous two charges, the defendants will face three, with the third one, money laundering, solely targeting Ayo. He is supposed to have committed this crime on January 26, 2021, at the CRBD Bank in Msamvu, Morogoro.

Last week, the South African Police Service in Piet Retief achieved a commendable result by arresting a 27-year-old man in possession of two rhino horns. The arrest came after members of the public brought information about the suspect’s alleged dealings to the attention of the police. Upon searching his vehicle, the police found two rhino horns hidden inside the bonnet and wrapped with black plastic. The fact that the local community is speaking out against wildlife crime is also a positive development.