Two soldiers and a senior airport manager have reportedly been implicated in a huge ivory bust that originated at JNIA. Photo: Daniel Hayduk
Two soldiers in charge of the security screening system and a senior airport official in Dar es Salaam have reportedly been implicated in the huge ivory haul that was seized in Zurich, Switzerland.
The 262 kilograms (578 pounds) of ivory crammed into eight suitcases was discovered by customs officials in Switzerland last month, but not announced publicly until last week.
According to the Citizen, a ‘senior security manager’ at Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) has been arrested in the ongoing investigation.
One soldier has reportedly been detained at military headquarters.
A second soldier on duty at the time has vanished with his family, says the Citizen.
Last year, President Jakaya Kikwete lashed out at airport officials, saying he was ‘not happy’ and ‘very sad’ with how easily the airport was being used as a smuggling route.
“All I want is improved security at these airports. If the trend continues, I will deal with you,” Kikwete said last April.
According to Swiss Customs, three Chinese men were attempting to transport the eight suitcases from Dar to Beijing.
If found guilty, the three are expected to face hefty fines in Switzerland.
Read more: Huge ivory haul slips through Dar
