By Staff Reporter

POLICE have arrested two Victoria Falls men after they were found in illegal possession of a pair of jumbo tusks measuring approximately one metre each.

Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) national spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident.

“On May 11, 2023, detectives from Minerals, Flora and Fauna Unit, Victoria Falls acted on received information and arrested Godin Mudimba (37) and Joshua Mkwananzi (27) at Sports Pavillion Grounds, Hwange in connection with unlawful possession of a pair of elephant tusks measuring approximately 1.06 metres each,” said Nyathi.

The value of the ivory could not be ascertained by time of publishing.

In January this year, Hwange Football Club defender Craven Banda was arrested after he was found with eight raw elephant tusks.

The 35-year-old, an employee of Hwange Colliery Company, was nabbed after a joint police and park rangers team swooped on him in Makwika Village where he kept the contraband.

Also early 2023, a Gokwe man was arrested after he was found in possession of 14 elephant tusks weighing 32,45 kilogrammes with a value of US$5 516.

Elias Mjobi (52) of Siyamuninga Village, Chief Nenyunga in Gokwe was arrested by a combined team of the police Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Minerals, Flora and Fauna (MFFU) Kwekwe and parks rangers.