US says two foreigners have been charged with trafficking in ivory and rhinoceros horn

Author: Kanishka Singh

(Reuters) – Two people from the Democratic Republic of Congo have been arrested in the United States and a federal grand jury has been charged with trafficking elephant ivory and white rhinoceros horn from the DRC to Seattle, the Justice Department reported Monday.

“Herdade Lokua, 23, and Jospin Mujangi, 31, of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, were arrested on Nov. 3 outside Seattle,” the department said in a statement.

On Nov. 4, a federal grand jury indicted him for conspiracy, money laundering, smuggling and traffic offenses, the statement said.

The 11-count indictment alleges that Lokua and Mujangi worked with a mediator to smuggle four packages into the United States.

In August and September 2020, the defendants allegedly sent three shipments of about 49 pounds of ivory by plane to Seattle, the DOJ said.

In May, they allegedly sent another package with about five pounds of rhino branches. A buyer paid $ 14,500 to the defendants for ivory and $ 18,000 for the branch, according to the department.

According to the indictment, Lokuak and Mujangi also sold 55 pounds of pangolin scales to a U.S. buyer, but in the end did not ship them.

The World Wildlife Organization says the meat of the pangolin, often known as the “scaly anurus,” is known to be known and its scales are used in traditional Chinese medicine, among the world’s most trafficked mammals.

They both discussed sending larger shipments of ivory, rhinoceros horn and pangolin scale through ocean-going vessels. On Nov. 2, they arrived in Washington State to negotiate details of the deal and were arrested in Edmonds, the DOJ said.

Reuters was unable to immediately contact representatives of Lokua and Mujangi.

If convicted, the defendants will face up to 20 years in prison on charges of smuggling and money laundering and five years of conspiracy and violation of the Lacey Act, the Justice Department said. The Lacey Act prohibits, among other things, the false labeling of shipments containing wildlife.