Rhino horn syndicate busted
16/01/2009 18:10 - (SA)


Johannesburg - Twelve people were arrested for poaching rhino horns in national and private parks, Pretoria police said on Friday.

Superintendent Vishnu Naidoo said five Mozambicans, three Chinese men, one Bruma Lake man, two South Africans and a man with an unknown nationality were arrested in Mpumalanga, Limpopo and North West during an investigation that began in December.

"This group operated in these provinces' national parks and private game reserves. They are behind a syndicate that poaches black and white rhinos," said Naidoo.

During the arrest, police confiscated two AK-47 rifles and four 303 rifles and R16 000 in cash.

"The rhino horns are suspected to have been sold to the Eastern market at between R18 000 to R25 000 a kilogram with the horns weighing between eight to 11 kilograms," he said.

Those arrested would face charges of illegal hunting within national parks, unlawful possession and dealing in rhino horn and unlawful possession of firearms.

They had all appeared in courts in the three provinces but soon the cases would be consolidated and brought before a single court.

- SAPA

Hopefully they'll all get very long jail sentences. I was shocked to read that more than 100 rhinos were poached in South Africa last year.