Wildlife Trafficking: A Ring of Smugglers Arrested in Juba with Over 320kgs of Animal Skins

Authorities in Juba have arrested a ring of smugglers after confiscating a shipment of over 325 kilograms of processed skins of different wild animal species at the Juba International Airport. 

The animal skins were shipped in South African and destined for Europe, according to the Wildlife Conservation Authorities who have been tracing the smuggling ring from Johannesburg, South Africa.

Lt. Gen. Rizik Zakaria Hassan, Minister of Wildlife Conservation and Tourism, said the Wildlife security personnel beefed up security and surveillance monitoring after they were informed about the consignment.

The processed laser skin of different colors which was wrapped and packaged in 28 polythene bags are now in the hands of the Wildlife Conservation and Tourism Authorities. 

trade in all wildlife products, including animal Skin is illegal in South Sudan according.

The recipient of the shipment in South Sudan was arrested and is awaiting trial as the rest of the members of the smuggling ring are being traced.

Minister Hassan said that now that the ringleader in South Sudan is arrested, the police and other law enforcement agents are on the heel to apprehend his network as investigations proceed.

 “These skins have been transported from South Africa coming through South Sudan and heading to their final destination which has worried us because they are bulky, three hundred and twenty plus” Hassan told The Insider.

The Wildlife Conservation forces followed, pursued and traced the movement of the animal skins from S. Africa through the Interpol until it landed in Juba and eventually confiscated them in the process of Custom clearance, and shipping it abroad.

The wildlife authorities said it was easy to intercept the consignment because South Sudan was put as the gateway for Wildlife trafficking and smugglers were not aware of the new boost in the security system to monitor travelers attempting to smuggle wildlife products out of the country.

“These 320 plus kilograms of processed skins shows that South Sudan in one way or the other is playing a role of a trafficking center that is why on our part we have to prevent such activities to occur within our domain” Hassan said.

He however noted that there are a lot of incidences of such nature and attributed it to the gaps in the laws as well as weak law enforcement in the wildlife domain but assured that his Ministry is working hard to improve those aspects.

This is not the first time the authorities have seized trafficked wild animal products. In 2016, authorities arrested an army major and a Chinese oil worker for allegedly trafficking elephant ivory and endangered pangolin meat through the Palouch oil fields. Also, in late 2016 the authorities seized a half-ton of smuggled ivory at the international airport in Juba, and the shipment was destined for Egypt.