Three people suspected to be elephant poachers have been arrested near western Tanzania's Katavi National park, police said Saturday.

Damas Nyanda, Katavi Regional Police Commander confirmed the incident, saying the suspected poachers are believed to be Ugandan nationals.

He said that the suspects were found in possession of military arsenals, which they have been using in poaching activities in the Tanzania's third largest national park after Ruaha and Serengeti.

According to Nyanda, police managed to bring down the suspected poachers in collaboration with rangers of the Katavi National Park.

He said the suspects were found in a bus christened SBS, heading to Mlele District, which is close to the 43-year-old sanctuary.

"What I can tell you, the arrested people have been notorious when it comes to poaching in the park and they were on the way to do poaching in Mlele District on the other side of the park," the regional police chief said.

He added that the suspects were arrested with a submachine gun, which was hidden inside a bag.

They were being assisted by local people in Mpanda Municipality.

Reports said that a few days ago rangers from the Tanzania National Park (Tanapa) found an elephant killed, though poachers were yet to remove the tusks.

Police were still interrogating the suspects and they will be taken to court so that the law takes its course.

Poachers in the park, in most cases, target large mammals such as elephants, rhino for ivory trade and other wild animals including buffaloes and leopards.

source: Xinhua