Zim Now Reporter
A 57-year-old Chinese national, Cong Yanzhong, was today jailed for an effective 18 years by the Harare Magistrates’ Court after being convicted of unlawfully dealing in wildlife.
Yanzhong, who resides in Harare, was facing two counts of unlawful dealing in protected species. He was arrested on July 16 after detectives received a tip-off that he was involved in the illegal trade of wildlife products.
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Detectives trailed him and intercepted him carrying a black satchel and a brown carrier bag which, upon being searched, yielded three shrink-wrapped rhinoceros horns weighing 7.7 kilogrammes and valued at US$240 000.
A subsequent search of his house uncovered four pieces of raw ivory weighing 36.15 kilogrammes, valued at US$6 146.
He appeared before the Harare Magistrates’ Court, where the court ruled that a custodial sentence was necessary to deter would-be offenders, stressing that Zimbabwe maintains zero tolerance for wildlife crime.
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