U.S. says 2 Congolese plead guilty to trafficking ivory, rhinoceros horn

An American flag waves outside the U.S. Department of Justice Building in Washington, U.S. [Reuters]

Two Congolese, who were earlier arrested in the United States and indicted by a federal grand jury, have pleaded guilty to trafficking elephant ivory and white rhinoceros horn from the Democratic Republic of Congo to Seattle, the U.S. Justice Department said on Wednesday.

Herdade Lokua, 34, and Jospin Mujangi, 32, of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, were arrested in November last year outside of Seattle before a federal grand jury indicted them for conspiracy, money laundering, smuggling and legal violations for the trafficking.