Tulani Ngwenya
LUANDA, Angola – For the second time in a week, Angolan authorities have detained two Vietnamese wildlife traffickers for illegal poaching and wildlife trafficking, thwarting their attempt to smuggle over 46 kilograms of elephant ivory, teeth, and rhinoceros horns out of the country.
The suspects drew attention during check-in at Luanda’s 4 de Fevereiro International Airport, prompting authorities to monitor their movements via CCTV surveillance. Before they could board a flight to Dubai en route to Vietnam, officials intercepted them and uncovered more than 500 pieces of wildlife contraband hidden in three carry-on bags. The items are believed to be linked to illegal poaching operations in Angola.
The General Tax Administration, Criminal Investigation Service (SIC), and Customs Fiscal Police collaborated on the operation, seizing the illicit goods and handing the suspects over to the National Police for prosecution. Authorities indicated that the arrests show Angola’s commitment to combating wildlife crime, protecting endangered species, and enforcing international agreements like the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
Just days earlier, two Vietnamese construction engineers were arrested in Camama municipality after authorities discovered a massive stash of ivory concealed beneath wooden boards at a shipyard. The haul included 31 raw ivory pieces and 1,200 processed items, including rings, sticks, cubes, and spheres, alongside six pieces of protected mussivi wood—a target of illegal logging.
A 2022 CITES report identified Angola and Vietnam as key players in rhino horn trafficking, often facilitated by Vietnamese and Chinese criminal networks. Rhino horns, falsely believed to have medicinal properties, and elephant ivory, used in jewellery and traditional medicine, fuel this illicit trade.
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Despite being a CITES signatory, Angola faced formal sanctions in late 2023 for failing to curb illegal wildlife trade since 2020. The suspension of all commercial trade in CITES-listed species with Angola took effect on 10 January 2024 and remains in place.
The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), a UK-based watchdog, revealed that while 11 tonnes of ivory linked to Angola have been seized globally since 2016, 77% of confiscations occurred outside the country, signalling weak enforcement at the source.
Angolan authorities vow to intensify efforts against wildlife crime, sending a clear message to traffickers: the illegal trade will not be tolerated. With international scrutiny mounting, Angola faces pressure to strengthen its anti-poaching measures and uphold its conservation commitments.
