The Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC), a PCF grantee, is an international body that focuses on dismantling the underground illegal wildlife trade networks through undercover investigations. Spearheading this fight against wildlife trafficking in Nigeria, the WJC and the Nigeria Customs Service were able to track and arrest eight wildlife traffickers in possession of over 870 pounds of pangolin scales.
Authorities revealed that these suspects are members of a major organized crime group and have also been involved in the trafficking of ivory, rhino horns, and lion bones. They sourced these illegal wildlife products from Mozambique and South Africa, trafficking them through Nigeria to Vietnam. This is the fourth major illegal wildlife arrest resulting from WJC’s collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service, showing substantial progress and commitment in the pursuit of infiltrating trafficking networks.
Read the full article here.