UGANDA: A total of 37 Chinese nationals were arrested in Uganda for possessing illegal wildlife species, theft and phone tapping.

Three of them were found on March 19 disassembling mobile phones and computers for trading purposes sans trading license.

The next day, the group was found with suspected stolen property during a search at their premises. The property included some phones, computer motherboards, and electricity meters, according to NTV Uganda.

Reports said the Chinese nationals also had some 1,895 Airtel and 223 MTN SIM cards that they were using in scam financial transactions.

The also had protected wildlife species, including some 6 tortoises and pangolin scales.

Pangolins are listed on the IUCN Red List of threatened species as ‘critically endangered’.

The Chinese people later confessed to the charge of abetting crimes. The three prime suspects – You Jin Dao, Lin Shao Sheng, and Lijia Zhao – were convicted on the charges of being in possession of stolen property.

Likewise, they were also directed to come to court on April 9.

Authorities, however, were in a dilemma as to where these Chinese nationals should be remanded.

They were then sent to a Kitalya government prison.

(With inputs from Agencies)