SOUTH SUDAN: Chinese Wildlife Trafficker Freed

A Chinese engineer working in Paloich, Upper Nile was released from custody this week after being caught at Juba International Airport on suspicion of trafficking around 10 kg of pangolin meat.

Pangolin is an endangered mammal native to South Sudan resembling a small anteater with hard plates on the exterior. The plates are used for jewelry in South Sudan and the meat is also popular in Asia.

The frozen meat was apparently found in the luggage of a 32 year old Chinese citizen who had returned to Juba from Paloich on board a flight operated by CemAir.

The meat was discovered by Amelie, one of two sniffer dogs recently deployed at the airport to uncover wildlife products such as meat, skins, or ivory being trafficked illegally.

"The suspect and evidence was handed over to wildlife service authority at the airport that arranged the transport of suspect and evidence to [South Sudan Wildlife Service Headquarters]," wildlife officials said.

However, officials reportedly gave the suspect a warning and released him. It is unclear whether he was ever presented before a court and charged.

Ivory disguised as 'mixed goods'

The incident occurred one day after another man was arrested at Juba International Airport allegedly trying to transport ivory from eight elephants to Paloich en route to Renk, a border town with Sudan.

Allied Services, Ltd. was operating the flight from Juba to Paloich which would have carried the ivory, according to the cargo manifest.

The ivory apparently had been labeled as 46 kg of "mixed goods" under care of John Madol, who is the man arrested, the manifest said.

The wildlife minister said the suspect will be prosecuted and the ivory burned.

The manifest indicated that a man named John Madit was to receive the cargo in Paloich. Madit has not been arrested and denied any knowledge of ivory trafficking.

SOUTH SUDAN: Cargo Plane Crash Kills At Least 27 People

A Russian-built Antonov-12 transport plane crashed Wednesday shortly after takeoff from the airport in Juba, South Sudan, killing 15 people, a South Sudanese presidential spokesman said.

Eighteen people were aboard the flight: 12 South Sudanese passengers and six crew members,five Armenians and one Russian,Ateny Wek Ateny, a press secretary in the South Sudan President's office said. Three people survived: two South Sudanese passengers and an infant boy less than a year old, Ateny said.

He had said earlier that there were 19 people aboard the plane, 17 of whom died.

The cause of the crash might have been engine failure, Ateny said, although he cautioned this had not been confirmed. He said a witness saw one engine fail before the plane crashed.

The plane crashed less than 100 yards from the White Nile River at 9 a.m. Wednesday, the spokesman said. A photo published by a local news organization showed the charred wreckage of a plane in the reeds near the riverbank.

The plane was bound for the South Sudanese town of Paloich, in an area of oil fields in the north of the country.

The Antonov-12 was registered in Tajikistan but it was not immediately clear who owned the aircraft, Ateny said. It was loaded with foodstuffs, he said.

South Sudan is the world's newest country, having gained independence from Sudan in 2011.