The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
KAMPALA, UGANDA | Xinhua | The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), a state-run conservation agency, has seized 10 pieces of raw elephant ivory weighing 154 kg after arresting a suspected trafficker in the northern district of Nwoya.
In a statement issued late Monday, the UWA said the suspect, identified as Francis Opiro, was apprehended during an intelligence-led operation. He is expected to be arraigned before the Standards, Utilities, and Wildlife Court and charged with unlawful possession of protected wildlife specimens.
“The seizure sends a clear and firm message that Uganda will not tolerate wildlife crime. Ivory trafficking is a serious offense that threatens our elephant populations, undermines conservation gains, and fuels organized criminal networks operating across borders,” said James Musinguzi, executive director of the UWA, who was quoted in the statement.
Musinguzi added that enforcement operations are being intensified nationwide to dismantle wildlife trafficking networks wherever they operate.
According to the UWA, wildlife crime not only threatens biodiversity but also undermines national security, tourism revenue, and the livelihoods of local communities.
In 2022, a repeat wildlife offender found in possession of two pieces of ivory weighing 9.5 kg was sentenced to life imprisonment by the court. In 2021, the same court charged two police officers over the illegal possession of elephant tusks weighing 23 kg.
The UWA said offenses involving the unlawful possession of protected species remain prevalent across the country. ■
