The Vietnamese woman indicted as the ringleader in a case of trafficking in trophies of forbidden species is said to have paid one million meticais to take the products from Mozambique to Tanzania, where they were seized.

She was arrested in the city of Nampula, where she fled after discovering the fraud, and is being held in the cells of the National Criminal Investigation Service (SERNIC) in the city of Pemba, Cabo Delgado. She is said to be the owner of the product, according to the News.

She allegedly bribed seven officials from Mozambique Airlines, Customs and the Republic of Mozambique Police at Pemba International Airport to facilitate the transit of the goods. The merchandise consisted of ivory tips, claws and dandelions, as well as bones from animals yet to be identified, destined for Malaysia.

"To enable the trafficking of prohibited species, the group used false documents, the name of a non-existent company called Zein Mariscos," said Sumail Sabila, SERNIC's spokesman in Cabo Delgado.

When the cargo was sent to Tanzania, the pieces had been camouflaged in boxes containing live lobsters.

The Public Prosecutor's Office in Cabo Delgado has ordered the pre-trial detention of those involved in the case, and nine people have already been arrested, namely the seven Mozambicans, the Vietnamese woman and a Tanzanian citizen.

If their involvement in the case is proven, they will be held responsible for the crimes of slaughtering, transporting and exporting prohibited species, passive corruption for an illegal act, smuggling, embezzlement, use of false documents and criminal association.