Dar Es Salaam, Mar 12 (IANS): Three suspected poachers have been detained by Tanzanian police after they were found in possession of six elephant tusks in the country's northern region of Manyara, police said.

George Katabazi, the Manyara regional police commander, on Saturday said the suspected poachers were arrested on Friday at 9 p.m. local time in Madunga village in Babati district in the region.

"The suspects were riding on two motorcycles that they used to ferry the tusks," Katabazi added.

He said the suspects were arrested during a joint crackdown conducted by police and game rangers from the Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority after they were tipped off by members of the public, Xinhua news agency reported.

Last week, an official said police were holding three suspected poachers in connection with the killing of six elephants in the East African nation's Ruaha National Park, a national park in Tanzania, between January 2022 and February 2023.

Godwell Ole Meing'ataki, assistant conservation commissioner and commanding officer for the Ruaha National Park, told Xinhua over the phone that the suspected poachers, found in possession of multiple elephant tusks, were arrested on February 28 in the Iringa municipality by the Wildlife and Forest Force of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism in collaboration with the police.