CRIME INTELLIGENCE LED SUCCESS AT WONDERBOOM AIRPORT

On Saturday 29 January 2010 Crime Intelligence, Limpopo received information of a legal hunt taking place on a certain farm in the Musina area, Limpopo province. Crime Intelligence officials visited the farm and verified that valid permits for legal hunting were in the possession of the farmer.

Later the same day, the farmer’s private helicopter conveyed two hunters, a man and woman in their late 20’s, early 30’s – both Vietnamese – to Wonderboom Airport.

While passing through the airport terminal, the two were searched and found to be in illegal possession of four rhino horns from two rhinos which had been legally hunted on the farm (the front and back part of the horns from each of the two rhinos).

Although the actual hunting was legal and the farmer was in possession of valid permits, the removal and transportation of the horns by the two suspects constituted an illegal act. The hunted rhinos and horns have to remain in the possession of the farmer/professional hunter who must have the shoulders/head/horn mounted by a taxidermist and a chip inserted into the horn prior to transportation.

The suspects were taken into custody and detained at Pretoria North police station. The investigation will be taken further by detectives from the SAPS Hawks. They will appear in court today.
Ends.

Two Vietnamese rhino hunters caught


Jan 31, 2011 11:21 AM | By Sapa

Two Vietnamese hunters with permits to hunt rhino near Musina have been caught allegedly trying to smuggle four rhino horns out of Limpopo, police said on Monday.

"On January 29 Limpopo [police] received information of a legal hunt taking place on a certain farm in the Musina area. Crime Intelligence officials visited the farm and verified that valid permits for legal hunting were in the possession of the farmer," Brigadier Sally De Beer said in a statement.

The farmer later took the two Vietnamese hunters, in their late twenties and early thirties, to Wonderboom airport. When they were searched at the terminal, the hunters were found to be in possession of four horns from two rhinos.

"Although the actual hunting was legal and the farmer was in possession of valid permits, the removal and transportation of the horns by the two suspects constituted an illegal act.

"The hunted rhinos and horns have to remain in the possession of the farmer/professional hunter who must have the shoulders, head and horns mounted by a taxidermist and a chip inserted into the horn prior to transportation," said De Beer.

The hunters were expected to appear before the Pretoria North Magistrate's Court on Monday on charges of illegal possession of rhino horns. The farmer would face questioning by the Hawks in a follow-up investigation.

We've been approached several times by people (I won't call them hunters) from the similar parts of the world who wanted to to do the same thing and have obviously given them the elbow every time....... but I guess some others obviously ain't the sharpest tools in the box and I have no doubt that both outfitter and PH will also find themselves up before the beak.

Question is what were the Vietnamese doing in Wonderboom airport trying to get a charter out of the country ?????

Your Editorship, Klizzie Yziellek aka Alan Bunn-

It seems that Rhino poaching has been popping up all over Africa lately. It's an extremely sad state of affairs for certain. This obsevation has lead me to come to the conclusion though that OoA and SCI are not totally to blame for ALL the Rhino poaching in the World. However nobody else seems to get the rants and raves and finger pointing hate directed toward them that SCI has received by you in the past.

I guess SCI is not the sole source of making people become Rhino poachers as most of them seem to be doing quite well on their own. So hopefully something can be done in a positive way to control this waste, but I am not too hopeful, it's Africa afterall.

Larry Sellers
SCI Life Member

quote:

Question is what were the Vietnamese doing in Wonderboom airport trying to get a charter out of the country ?????

Fred,

Apparently, it was another money making opportunity for the Out of Africa gang. The good news is that is does not appear that the either of the Viet Cong poachers were members of SCI... as far as we know.

~ Alan



Dawie Groenewald: ’Legal rhino hunt’ took place on suspected poacher’s farm

Eyewitness News has learnt that suspected rhino poacher Dawie Groenewald is linked to this weekend’s arrest of two Vietnamese nationals in Musina.

Groenewald is currently out on R1 million bail after he was arrested for rhino poaching together with two vets in September 2010.

The pair was arrested on Saturday while trying to leave South Africa with four rhino horns. They were legally hunting on one of Groenewald’s farms.

Police said the two were arrested because they failed to have their trophy kills mounted by a taxidermist and the horns were not chipped.

When police searched Groenewald’s farm last year, they discovered over 30 rhino carcasses. Media reports described his farm as an ‘animal slaughterhouse’.

Law enforcement officials said they will investigate all aspects of the latest arrests.

Meanwhile, South African National Parks (SANParks) on Monday said around 21 rhino were killed in January and around 31 people have been arrested for rhino poaching.



Police probe deepens into rhino poaching suspects

Police say they will investigate all aspects surrounding the arrest of two Vietnamese nationals in connection with rhino poaching. The pair was caught at Wonderboom Airport, in northern Pretoria, trying to leave the country with four rhino horns.

Eyewitness News understands the rhino were killed on a farm belonging to poaching accused Dawie Groenewald.

The pair was arrested for not following procedure in exporting the horns but the police’s investigation will need to look deeper into the links between legal hunting and poaching.

Groenewald was arrested with two vets and eight others last year - and is due to return to court in April.

South African National Parks (SANParks) said 21 rhino have been killed this month while 31 people have been arrested.

I really should keep my mouth shut, but.....

If they legally hunted these rhino, I don't see how it is morally wrong if they want to grind their "trophies" up to make super rooster powder.

I know it was not legal because they didn,t have the horns mounted and chipped, but I have never had any of my trophies mounted.

I know that they did not follow the letter of the law, but I just don't see this as being similar to poaching in any way(as long as the hunt was legal).

But that's just my opinion and I am often wrong.

No you are not wrong legally. The problem is moral and ethical questions concerning feeding the demand in Asia for the rhino horn.

quote:

Originally posted by Safari-Hunt:
Question is what were the Vietnamese doing in Wonderboom airport trying to get a charter out of the country ?????

Safari-Hunt:

"
Although the actual hunting was legal and the farmer was in possession of valid permits, the removal and transportation of the horns by the two suspects constituted an illegal act. The hunted rhinos and horns have to remain in the possession of the farmer/professional hunter who must have the shoulders/head/horn mounted by a taxidermist and a chip inserted into the horn prior to transportation. "

I believe any game trophy has to go through the proper export channels and as far as I know cannot or is not exported directly as personal effects or part of the luggage of a client.

May be some of our South African friends can shed some light on this.

But, isn't illegal to transport trophies before out of the country in the raw?

There's a variety of laws and regulations from different sources such as CITES, (provincial) game dept & national laws, including veterinary requirements that prohibit transport of any completely raw & unlicenced trophies from anywhere in Africa and then of course, the additional import requirements but here's the wording of just one pice of paper from KZN wildlife that came to me via PHASA.

Note point 3 and more importantly, 4C.

Reference


Mr.


RE: APPLICATION TO HUNT WHITE RHINO BY FOREIGN HUNTERS

Your permit applications namely ________________ which the permit office received on the 00 Month 2010 has reference.

1. In order to process the applications further, the Organization requests that you provide the following information as per points “a-i” regarding each hunter.

a. Membership of a recognised hunting organisation in his/her country of origin.

b. Firearms in the hunters "name" - firearm number and different calibers and all competency certificates.

c. A detailed CV which indicates the hunters hunting experience in his/her country of origin, international and in Africa. This must include the names and contact details of the Hunting Outfitters and Professional Hunters that conducted those specific hunts.

d. List of African species that were personally hunted by the client a) Plains Game and b) Dangerous game.

e. Point (d) includes the history of rhinoceros hunts in South Africa during the last year. If the client hunted a rhinoceros in South Africa during the last year he/she must provide details of where and when it was hunted.

f. With reference to point (d) and (e) the client must provide proof of above mentioned hunts (register, permits etc).

g. Copy of clients' passport

h. Bookings of all other hunts in South Africa for his hunting safari (current year).

i. Name of the taxidermist who will process the hunted animal.


2. The Organisation also requires a motivation as to why you would like to hunt a white rhinoceros.

3. Please note that if there is any doubt that this is an experienced bone fide dangerous game hunter then the permit will be declined to prevent the misuse of CITES permits.

4. If a permit is issued then:

a. A nature conservation officer will attend the hunt.

b. The remuneration agreement, hunting license and Ph register will be checked before the commencement of the hunt.

c. The horns will be micro-chipped and will only leave the country as a mounted trophy.

5. A letter from your client’s CITES Management Authority must be obtained with a statement to the effect that the animal hunted will be kept as a personal trophy by your client and will not be used for commercial purposes.

6. In order to speed up the process you can email your response to YYYYYYYYYYYY at XXXXXXXXXXXX.com .

7. The Organisation will consult with all interested and affected parties in order to make an informed decision.

Regards,

quote:

Originally posted by JBrown:
I really should keep my mouth shut, but.....

If they legally hunted these rhino, I don't see how it is morally wrong if they want to grind their "trophies" up to make super rooster powder.

I know it was not legal because they didn,t have the horns mounted and chipped, but I have never had any of my trophies mounted.

I know that they did not follow the letter of the law, but I just don't see this as being similar to poaching in any way(as long as the hunt was legal).

But that's just my opinion and I am often wrong.

Maybe analogous to blackbear in New Mexico-You must present your bear to fish and game to be aged,a tooth collected, and then state tagged. If you dont then its an illegal bear even if you had the proper liscense to start with.

Cross L

I think your analogy is partially correct. The difference being that this rhino was privately owned, and the regulations in place seem to have nothing to do with science(as in the bear's case) and are really only about making sure the hunter has to jump through a few extra hoops in hopes that this will thawart the trade in rhino horn.

As I read the SA white rhino regs it is clear that they are trying to ensure that the rhino are utilized in a manner acceptable to our "western" values(mounted on a plaque) instead of the eastern values(ground-up for wonder powder).

If it is legally hunted I don't see what difference it makes how the trophy is utilized. Clearly they were breaking the law in regards to the trophy but what difference does it really make?

Even if they had followed the law and had the horns mounted and micro-chipped then had them shipped home they could have ground them up and just the same. The only real difference I see is that it would have take a few more months and cost a few more dollars.

What it boils own to in my mind is this: cutting off the supply of rhino horn is not going to make the demand dry-up(has it worked in the drug war?) so allowing them to legally "hunt" them(with the rhino farmers getting paid for their livestock) is a lot better than having the Growenwalds fly in by helicopter and night-vision to poach then(with slime-balls like the Growenwalds getting rich).

How much longer will rhino farming last if the poaching continues? I just can't see investing more money into rhino when poaching is so rampant.

But then, I am often wrong....