ARUSHA, Tanzania, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian police on Tuesday said they, in collaboration with officers of the anti-poaching unit, have arrested seven suspected poachers in the southern part of the east African nation.

Yahaya Athuman, acting Ruvuma Regional Police Commander, said the suspected poachers were arrested in different areas of Namtumbo District, Ruvuma Region with two of them being caught red-handed with hippos' meat.

According to Athuman, the suspected poachers believed to have been involving in poaching incidents in Selous Game Reserve, one of the largest faunal reserves of the world, located in the south of Tanzania.

The regional police chief said the anti-poaching operation will continue, and warned people to stop from doing the vice as the law would take its course.

Over the past six years, poaching and the illicit ivory trade have attracted global attention and Tanzania has been slated as one of the worst offenders.

Besides tarnishing the image of the country, elephant poaching has undesirable effects on the ecological, economic and security aspects.