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Despite progress to curtail the trafficking of iconic species such as elephants, illegal wildlife trafficking continues unabated on a global scale. This is according to the 2024 World Wildlife Crime Report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), which takes stock of efforts to counter poaching worldwide. The report highlights that wildlife trafficking has not seen a significant enough decrease over the past two decades, prompting a call for enhanced enforcement of existing laws, including measures to combat corruption.

The suspects involved in the poaching of a white rhinoceros bull on a farm in the Gobabis district remain in custody. According to the spokesperson of the Namibian police, Deputy Commissioner Kauna Shikwambi, the suspects have already appeared in the magistrate's courts of Gobabis and Katutura in Windhoek over the past weekend. The names of the suspects as provided by Shikwambi are Micheal Shomeya Koshondatile (39), Barnabas Shitaleni Muzanime (35), 31-year-old Petrus Petrus Nghifindaka, Victory Henghono (also 31), and 34-year-old Imanuel Stafanus Nangwasha.

A former Namibian Police inspector charged with conspiracy to commit rhino poaching has failed in his challenge against a decision that he is unfit to serve on the force. Wersimus Haipa approached the Windhoek High Court and argued that his dismissal was "illegal" and "unfair". He demanded that he be reinstated and that the safety and security ministry compensate him for the salaries he would have received had he not been fired. Haipa was a member of the Namibian Police for 26 years before he was fired in September 2021 based on criminal charges against him.

Sixteen suspects have been arrested in recent days in connection with wildlife crimes and six new cases were registered. According to police statistics ten wildlife products were confiscated, and five firearms and one vehicle were seized. The wildlife products included four pieces of elephant ivory, a pangolin skin, two duiker carcasses, an impala carcass and a warthog carcass. On 5 March two Zambians, an Angolan and a Namibian were arrested at Kongola for illegally hunting protected game.

A Namibian man was arrested last week at Rundu for being in possession of 611 pangolin scales, five pieces of skin and one whole pangolin skin. A total of nine suspects were arrested in connection with wildlife crimes last week and three new cases were registered.

Significant successes, including the arrest of 63 suspects for wildlife-related crimes, have been recorded by anti-poaching units in the Etosha National Park since February last year. This was revealed during a visit to Etosha by police inspector-general Sebastian Ndeitunga, environment minister Pohamba Shifeta and defence minister Penda Ya Ndakolo last Friday.

Six suspects were arrested in connection with wildlife crimes recently and three new cases were opened. This is according to statistics provided by the intelligence and investigation unit within the environment ministry and the protected resources unit in the safety and security ministry.