WHEN the treasury runs dry or loopholes are closed, criminal elements turn to natural resources: land, wildlife, minerals and forest products. This is why the recent revelation about hundreds of elephant tusks intercepted in Thailand should force Zambia to look beyond ports, clearing agents and customs officers. Investigators must also examine what happens at the source, inside chiefdoms where forests, wildlife corridors and mineral deposits are located. Traditional leaders play a role in safeguarding these resources. Unfortunately, history also shows that the desire for wealth can push some custodians to drop their guard and facilitate illicit exploitation.   We saw this during the mukula scandals. Research on Zambia’s mukula trade found that traditional authorities could control both formal and...