Between 2014 and 2015, Zanzibar Port emerged as a significant transshipment hub for illegally logged Malagasy timber bound for Asian markets. Three major timber seizures during this period revealed that traffickers were using Zanzibar as a strategic transit point for timber originating from Madagascar and destined primarily for China and Hong Kong SAR. In a notable 2015 case, traffickers attempted to legitimise their shipment using fraudulent CITES export permits, discovered when they tried to use a certificate number designated for exporting livestock from Tanzania. This pattern reveals how wildlife traffickers exploit Tanzania's strategic port location and weaker regulatory oversight in Zanzibar to move contraband between Africa and Asia.