全世界最大的警察組織國際刑警組織（Interpol）宣布，東非頭號野生動物要犯兄弟檔本週因走私數百件象牙在馬拉威被捕。
蔡司和派翠克卡烏達（Chancy and Patrick Kaunda）是國際刑警組織在坦尚尼亞發佈紅色通緝的對象，他們涉嫌於2013年在沒有出口許可證的情況下從坦桑尼亞出口781隻大象牙至馬拉威。
這批價值580萬美元的走私象牙被藏在一批水泥袋中。
馬拉威警察與坦尚尼亞當局合作，加上刑警組織部署的一個支援小組，於10月4日在馬拉威北部逮捕了兄弟檔其中一人。
在逮捕期間發現的情報協助警察在幾小時後找到並逮捕了另一人。
這次的行動是在由東非警察首長合作組織和南部非洲區域警察首長合作組織主持的Usalama IV行動框架內進行。
這為期兩天的行動目標是打擊跨國犯罪，包括人類、毒品和武器販運、人口走私、恐怖主義、偽造和非法商品以及環境犯罪。
國際刑警組織智慧專案協調員法諾（Henri Fournel）表示：「這些行動顯示馬拉威和坦尚尼亞正努力透過情報導向的執法方式，打擊積極從事環境犯罪活動的組織犯罪網絡。恭喜同事們成功逮捕這些逃犯，肯定非洲和亞洲所有成員國持續打擊國際象牙販運。」
這次逮捕行動顯示，國際刑警組織的智慧專案與地方當局之間的合作，對於打擊非洲非法販運象牙和犀牛角來說非常重要。
智慧專案由Wildcat基金會資助，鼓勵國際刑警組織192個成員國以國際情報交流為優先，並擴大利用國際刑警組織的警務能力，包括其調查、定位和逮捕環境犯罪分子的色碼通知系統。
有史以來規模最大的洲級野生物調查——大象普查的結果，於2016年9月在夏威夷的世界保護大會上公佈。大象普查員發現，非洲現在只有35萬2271頭草原象，佔該物種的93％，遠低於20世紀初的幾百萬頭。
空中調查涵蓋包括坦尚尼亞在內的18個非洲國家，坦尚尼亞象牙盜獵情況特別嚴重。
目前的象牙盜獵致使每年損失8%的大象族群，每年約有2萬7000頭大象被盜獵而死亡。世界自然保育聯盟IUCN瀕危物種紅名單2004年將非洲的草原象歸類為「易危」。
Two brothers who are among East Africa’s most wanted wildlife criminals were arrested in Malawi this week on charges of attempting to smuggle hundreds of elephant tusks, according to Interpol, the world’s largest police organization.
Brothers Chancy and Patrick Kaunda of Malawi, who were the subjects of Interpol Red Notices issued at the request of Tanzania, are suspected of attempting to export 781 elephant tusks from Tanzania to Malawi without the proper permits in 2013.
The illegally transported tusks, valued at US$5.8 million, were concealed in a shipment of bags of cement.
The Malawi Police, in cooperation with Tanzanian authorities and supported by a team deployed by Interpol, apprehended one of the fugitives in northern Malawi on October 4.
Intelligence uncovered during the arrest assisted police in locating and apprehending the second brother a few hours later.
The arrests took place within the framework of Operation Usalama IV, an operation led by the Eastern Africa Police Chiefs Cooperation Organization and the Southern African Regional Police Chiefs Cooperation Organization, with support from Interpol.
The two-day operation targeted transnational crimes, including human, drug and arms trafficking, people smuggling, terrorism, counterfeit and illicit goods and environmental crime.
“These arrests demonstrate the commitment of Malawi and Tanzania to combating the organized crime networks active in environmental crime through an intelligence-led law enforcement approach,” said Henri Fournel, coordinator of Interpol’s Project Wisdom.
“We congratulate our colleagues for apprehending these fugitives, and commend all our member countries in Africa and Asia for their continued dedication in the fight against international ivory trafficking,” said Fournel.
The arrests highlight the importance of ongoing cooperation between Interpol’s Project Wisdom and local authorities to tackle the illegal trafficking of ivory and rhinoceros horns in Africa.
Funded by The Wildcat Foundation, Project Wisdom encourages Interpol’s 192 member countries to prioritize international exchange of information and to expand their use of Interpol policing capability, including its color-coded notices system to investigate, locate and apprehend environmental criminals.
The results of the largest ever continent-wide wildlife survey, the Great Elephant Census, was released in September 2016 at the World Conservation Congress in Hawaii. Census-takers found that Africa now has just 352,271 savanna elephants in 93 percent of the species’ range, down from several million at the turn of the 20th century.
The aerial survey covered 18 African countries, including Tanzania, which has been especially hard hit by poaching for ivory.
The current yearly loss, a result of poaching, is estimated at eight percent. That amounts to about 27,000 elephants killed every year.
The authoritative IUCN Red List of Threatened Species classifies the savanna elephant in Africa as Vulnerable to Extinction, a 2004 listing.
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※ 本文與 行政院農業委員會 林務局 
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