The Cabo Delgado Provincial Prosecutor's Office today announced the arrest of eight people, including employees of state airline Linhas Aéreas de Moçambique (LAM), suspected of illegally exporting 166 pieces of ivory and parts of other protected animals.

The items were seized on May 28 in Tanzania, a neighboring country, after passing through Pemba Airport in Cabo Delgado.

According to the spokeswoman for the PGR in Cabo Delgado, "the product seized consisted of 16 boxes containing 166 pieces of ivory, five boxes containing various bones of wild animals yet to be identified", as well as 20 teeth and 65 lion claws.

According to Noémia Madeira, the detainees include LAM employees, a customs official, a member of the Mozambican police and an official from the provincial directorate for economic activities, all assigned to the Pemba airports.

"The cargo, still in the custody of the Tanzanian authorities, did not pass through the detector at Pemba airport and was destined for Malaysia," said the PGR.