In September 2019, while they were about to sell ivory tusks in a motel, Ndzang Mindzeme Norbert was apprehended by judicial police officers in possession of the so-called trophies. When asked where the products came from, he stated that the seized ivory was the property of his brother Emane Akono Paulin, who had asked him to find a buyer for the purpose of selling the ivory he had kept in his home for more than 20 years. He further declared that Emane contacted a buyer named Adama and both agreed on the price fixed at XAF 630,000. While Emane and Ndzang initially agreed to both go to Oyem to sell the ivory, Emane surprisingly changed his mind and gave the bag the following day to Ndzang. Emane was later on arrested and during his interrogation he denied the facts of possessing and trying to sell without authorization the trophies. He further said that he was not the owner of the ivory but rather the bag and clothes that were used to hide the products.