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Despite the fact that Namibia is one of African countries that experiences the least crime, much still needs to be done to improve law enforcement, among other things.

A total of 24 elephant tusks were confiscated, while one suspect was arrested and seven others fled the scene when their car was searched last Friday in the Zambezi Region. According to the environment ministry, the police, the defence force and ministry officials searched vehicles as part of an intelligence-led operation in pursuit of a syndicate of Zambian nationals who were embarking on transnational poaching of elephants in neighbouring Botswana using Zambezi as a transit root. It said security operatives intercepted the vehicle used to transport elephant tusks.

A total of 24 elephant tusks were confiscated, while one suspect was arrested and seven others fled the scene when their car were searched on Friday in the Zambezi Region. According to the environment ministry, members of the ministry, the police and the defence force were searching vehicles as part of an intelligence-led operation in pursuit of a syndicate of Zambian nationals who were embarking on transnational poaching of elephants in neighbouring Botswana using the Zambezi Region as a transit root.

The two suspects were caught in the early hours of Friday morning with five goats in their possession which had been poached. The men also poached two kudus, two waterbucks and a gemsbok worth N$35 000 in the Khomas Region.

The judgement which has been described as Namibia’s biggest rhino horn smuggling case to date, will finally be delivered next month. Four Chinese nationals stand accused of trying to smuggle 14 rhino horns worth more than N$2 million out of Namibia.

Private conservation group COVER (Conserving our Valuable Rhino and Elephant) has halted its anti-poaching operations, due to an ongoing legal battle against the founder of the organisation. The court case, which is pending in the High Court, stems from an investigation by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) into the alleged misuse of funds raised for rhino protection during the so-called Black Tie event last year, which included a wine auction.

Lawyers appearing for a Chinese national and a Namibian man accused of wildlife crimes, say their clients have not received a list of State witnesses, and were in difficult position, as their bail conditions include that they should not contact or interfere with those who will testify against them.