Kampala, Uganda – January 22, 2025
In a decisive multi-agency operation, the Uganda Wildlife Crime Unit (UWCU) successfully seized 13 kilograms of pangolin scales and arrested a key suspect involved in illegal wildlife trafficking. Code-named Operation Anniversary, the operation was launched following intelligence reports that a woman in Kampala was attempting to sell a significant quantity of pangolin scales.
Investigators learned that the suspect’s husband was previously arrested in Tanzania for wildlife crimes and remained imprisoned. The UWCU, after gathering precise intelligence, developed an operational plan and deployed a team to intercept the transaction.
The suspect arrived at a predetermined meeting point with 13 kilograms of pangolin scales, hoping to sell them for 700,000 UGX (approximately $190 per kilogram). She revealed that the scales originally belonged to her husband, who had smuggled them from Tanzania about a year ago but was arrested before he could complete the sale. The suspect admitted she was selling the scales to raise bail money for her husband, who was detained in Tanzania for possession of sea shells, another form of illegal wildlife trade.
The successful arrest and seizure highlight the continued efforts of UWCU and its partners to dismantle illegal wildlife trafficking networks. Pangolins remain one of the most trafficked mammals in the world, with their scales highly sought after in illegal markets.
