2 Congo Nationals Sentenced for Trafficking Ivory, Rhinoceros Horn and Pangolin Scales
Herdade Lokua and Jospin Mujangi, citizens of the Democratic Republic of Congo, were sentenced, respectively, to 20 months and 14 months in prison for their roles in a scheme to smuggle wildlife products from the DRC to Seattle, DOJ announced. Both defendants pleaded guilty to conspiracy and Lacey Act charges.
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Lokua was identified as the organizer of the operation that included more than five other individuals with the intent of shipping elephant ivory, white rhinoceros horn and pangolin scales to the U.S., DOJ said Nov. 1. Mujangi aided with packaging the wildlife products and handled finances to process the payment via a Chinese bank, then back to the DRC, DOJ said. Both men admitted to agreeing to smuggle the goods in 2019 and working with a middleman to negotiate the sales details.
The pair organized small sales of products "to build trust with the buyers" in 2020, sending three shipments of around 49 pounds of ivory falsely labeled as wood. In 2021, they sent around five pounds of rhinoceros horn to Seattle using this same scheme and negotiated a $3.5 million sale of ivory, rhinoceros horn and pangolin scales.