On July 31, 2026, during a joint operation conducted in Libreville by the Water and Forests Administration and the Judicial Police (PJ), with support from the NGO Conservation Justice (CJ), two Gabonese nationals were arrested in possession of four ivory tusks and an elephant tail.
The arrest took place in a neighborhood in Libreville. During the operation, the two suspects were caught red-handed in possession of and attempting to illegally sell four ivory tusks and an elephant tail, an animal product belonging to a species that is fully protected in Gabon.
The possession, transportation and sale of ivory are punishable under Gabonese law. Pending their appearance before a magistrate, the two suspected wildlife traffickers were placed in custody. They face up to ten (10) years in prison and a fine equivalent to five times the value of the seized products, in accordance with Articles 390 and 398 of the Criminal Code.
The arrest highlights weaknesses in law enforcement and monitoring, as seized wildlife trophies often move from one province to another, escaping the attention of control mechanisms. Luc Mathot, Director of Conservation Justice, said: “Under the guise of the human-elephant conflict, which is a major issue in Gabon, some poachers and traffickers are organizing the killing of elephants and the illegal trade in their ivory. This is clearly the case here, given that one of the suspects is believed to have killed at least six elephants and attempted to deceive the Water and Forests Administration.”
Conservation Justice
