Police arrests Chinese for possessing Ivory

Police at Kamuzu International Airport has arrested a Chinese lady Qi Zhang aged 49 for possessing protected species in the departures Lounge.

Public relations officer for airport police Sapulain Chitonde said the police officer discovered 16 smaller pieces of Ivory which were concealed in foil papers to defeat the screening process.

“Qi Zhang wanted her bag to be wrapped and police officer manning the place demanded her bag to be physically searched before wrapping it. While searching the bag the police officer discovered the Ivory which was concealed in foil papers to defeat the screening process,” explained Chitonde.

Chitonde said Zhang was about to board Ethiopian Airways to China.

Qi Zhang was born in 1969 and holds a passport number G32128866 and he comes from Fuji Town in China while here in Malawi she stays in Area 6.

Zhang will answer two charges of illegal possession of Game Trophy (Ivory) and exportation of Game Trophy (Ivory) which is contrary to section 98 as read with 111 and 113 of parks and wildlife 2004.

Kamuzu International Airport police has registered a variety of 106 cases from 2015.

“29 cases were recorded in 2015, 23 in 2016, 48 in 2017 and 6 in 2018.

These cases include illegal exportation of protected species (Ivory and Hippo teeth), attempting to export the same illegal possession of foreign currency and attempting to externalize the same, illegal exportation of suspected dangerous drugs, found in possession of or attempting to export precious stones without documents and attempting to export medical drugs illegally.