Poaching has been reduced but is far from eliminated. At the height of the poaching crisis, 80 elephants a day were being killed for their tusks to supply demand from Asia, mostly coming from China. The slowing of the slaughter is though to be due to increased and more effective law enforcement against transnational criminal organizations. The raid was led by DRC top conservation enforcement organization, the ICCN. Between 2015 and 2019 DRC confiscated 20 metric tons, a significant improvement in enforcement over the period 2000-2014 when poaching was rampant. Ivory poaching is lucrative, generating $23 billion in revenue a year, says Bloomberg. Officials expect to increase the amount of illegal ivory confiscated in future operations. Meanwhile, elephant populations continue to decline in Southern Africa. The savanna elephant is endangered says IUCN, while the forest elephant is on the critical list. [credit: Matchbox Media Collective]
The tusks were smuggled into DRC from Zambia which borders to the south. The cartels may be slowed down, but the trade will continue as long as their is money to be made. They operate as multi-national businesses and account for losses due to law enforcement activities. Failure to obtain convictions in cross-boarder investigations also hamper enforcement. Recently two Vietnamese traffickers arrested in Kampala, Uganda with 3.3 metric tons of ivory skipped bail and evaded prosecution. Arrests rarely capture of those at the top of the criminal networks, who benefit the most. The three suspected traffickers from the Lubumbashi raid are due to appear in court this week.