Police Arrest Most Wanted Ivory Trafficker

A specialized wildlife trafficking unit under Tanzania’s National and Transnational Serious Crimes Investigation Unit arrested the suspects Thursday. Last week authorities detained her after surrounding her Dar es Salaam home for seven hours and engaging in a short high speed chase.

In January, China destroyed 6.1 metric tons of illegal elephant ivory seized over the years in Dongguan, Guangdong province. “The Chinese government underscores the importance of preserving wildlife, and will earnestly fulfill its worldwide obligation by stepping up legislation and education to clamp down the smuggling of related items”, she said.

According to the Elephant League Organisation, Yang recently disappeared from Tanzania, moving to Uganda, but returned a week ago, when the task force swiftly moved and arrested her.

The State Attorney said that Yang was involved in the smuggling and trading of 706 elephant tusks, weighing 1,800 kilograms from about 350 slain elephants.

66-year-old Yang Feng Glan came to Africa in the 70s as a translator and was one of the first Chinese nationals trained in Swahili, but after decades it has been revealed that she is also the queen of ivory.

Authorities say Glan sponsored poachers to target elephants – even those living in protected areas.

If found guilty on all charges, Yang could face between 20 and 30 years imprisonment if found guilty.

Reuters was unable to reach the lawyer for Glan who was not allowed to enter a plea until the case resumes. She was produced on court, where her bail was rejected.

The elephant population in Tanzania, was one of the biggest in Africa.

The news of her arrest has been welcomed by anti-poaching organisations. Between 2009 and 2014, the number of elephants in Tanzania fell by a whopping 60 percent, from 109,051 to 43,330.

The Chinese businesswoman, now thought to be the most notorious ivory trafficker brought to task so far in the war against elephant poaching, is believed to be behind the trafficking of a huge quantity of ivory over the past several years. Hopefully she can lead us to other major traffickers and corrupt government officials.

“Across Africa, they keep arresting small fish here and there”, said Andrea Costa, a spokesman for the Elephant Action League, a nonprofit group that fights crime against wildlife.