Rhino Killings to Be Treated as Organised Crime

Johannesburg — ALL rhino poaching will be classified as organised crime, the head of the National Prosecuting Authority's (NPA's) organised crime unit, Johan Kruger, said yesterday.

This will make it harder for those arrested in connection with rhino poaching to get bail and those convicted will face longer sentences.

SA has lost 210 rhino to poaching since January - against 122 for all of last year - as black-market demand for rhino horns rises along with the increase in economic status in East and Southeast Asia, where the horn is believed to have medicinal properties.

Mr Kruger, an advocate, was speaking at the launch of the Department of Water and Environmental Affairs' National Strategy for the Safety and Security of Rhinoceros Populations. Minister Buyelwa Sonjica said the strategy will ensure the successful arrest, conviction and sentencing of poachers, illegal traders and crime syndicates operating locally, regionally and nationally.

Twenty-one people have been arrested in connection with rhino poaching in SA in the past three weeks. Eleven, including two veterinarians, a pilot and a game farmer, all allegedly part of a poaching syndicate, were arrested in Limpopo last month. The group is alleged to be part of a ring behind rhino poaching across the province in recent months.

Ms Sonjica said SA is " engaging" with countries such as China. "We are well aware that most of these syndicates come from the East. It is also very important to work with our (regional) partners on a regular basis. We will be consulting with the Department of International Relations," she said.

Ms Sonjica said her department will also work closely with the police and NPA to bring perpetrators to book.

Mr Kruger said it is important to have the NPA on board. "You can have all the legislation in place but if you do not have the prosecutors then it becomes difficult." He said most illegal rhino killings are committed by organised syndicates.

Ms Sonjica said she has been disappointed by the recent spate of poaching. "I am sad because the country's track record on conservation is being undermined," she said.

"We have been recognised internationally for our rhino conservation, we have been conserving rhinos more than any other country." At the end of 2007, SA was responsible for conserving 35% of Africa's black rhino in the wild and 93% of the continent's white rhino.

The strategy, which is in line with the national white rhino strategy, provides guiding principles to be used in when making plans aimed at reducing rhino poaching.

Cheers,

~ Alan

I suppose an international organized crime syndicate would bring investigations from Interpol, the FBI, USFWS, and Customs among others.

Especially, since that international mafia did so much business here in the States and Europe.

It would be quite reasonable to investigate anyone or any organization that enabled or protected these criminals and allowed them to prey on unsuspecting clients.

I wonder who and/or what is at the top of the list of interest?

Cheers,

~ Alan

I wonder if all their activities here in the US are going to be treated as organized crime by our authorities?

If Out of Africa is indeed part of an organized crime group, then it goes beyond USFWS and Customs, and they get the attention of organizations such as the FBI, etc.

Cheers,

~ Alan

Poaching: SA wants Interpol's help
2010-10-09 14:46



Charmaine Zulu

Musina - The masterminds behind South Africa's growing rhino poaching scandal could find themselves blacklisted internationally and banned from working in conservation ever again.

This follows the arrests of two more suspects in Musina, Limpopo, on Thursday, bringing to 13 the number of people - including vets - implicated in the racket.

The South African Veterinarian Council (SAVC), South African Veterinarian Association (SAVA) and the Professional Hunters Association of South Africa (Phasa) warned on Friday that they will deregister any of their members implicated in poaching.

"We are shocked and saddened that two prominent vets have been arrested for suspected involvement in rhino poaching in South Africa.

"We completely dissociate ourselves from any illegal activities, which we condemn in the strongest possible terms,and would like to repeat that we will do all in our power to assist in bringing culprits to book," said SAVA spokesperson Tracey Phillips.

Her counterpart at the regulatory council, SAVC registrar Hanri Kruger, added: "In fact, if they are found guilty of poaching, we deregister them as vets."

Although Phasa is not a regulatory agency like SAVC, it too adopted a hardline.

"We too are looking at blacklisting any of the professional hunters implicated in this scandal. Poaching, and especially this kind systematic slaughter, is extremely bad for the image of our profession and of South Africa," said Phasa chief executive, Adri Kitshoff.

Phasa expelled the suspected kingpin behind the syndicate, Dawie Groenewald, four years ago on an unrelated breach of the association's code of conduct.

Name and shame

"If any of the other people arrested are Phasa members, they will be immediately suspended. If they are convicted of poaching, or anything related to the case, they will also be expelled. Unfortunately, in South Africa you can still be a professional hunter after losing your Phasa membership," she added.

"But, we will look to see if it is feasible to publicly name and shame them. If so, we would blacklist them not just in South Africa, but also with our affiliate hunting associations across the world."

The international blacklisting will make it difficult for the men to secure hunting concessions or professional hunting contracts.

But, it might not just be hunters and vets implicated in the scandal.

Hawks spokesperson Musa Zondi hinted on Friday that government officials might also be implicated.

When asked whether customs officials or conservation officers were being investigated for possible involvement, he said: "I cannot say, because people hide and burn documents if they know that you are coming ... if you tell the world who you are investigating," he said.

The two suspects arrested on Thursday and linked with Groenewald and the other suspects are professional hunter Gys du Preez, 31, and general farm worker Joseph Maluleka, 39. They were arrested on a farm near Musina.

"They appeared on the same day and were released on bail of R25 000 and R8 000," said Zondi.

Groenewald and the 11 accused were arrested on September 20 for rhino poaching.

Interpol

Du Preez and Maluleka will appear in the Musina Magistrate's Court again on April 11 next year, along with Groenewald and the other accused.

In the mean time, Zondi said, the Southern African Regional Police Chiefs Co-operation Organisation, which includes police chiefs from 12 Southern African states, was addressing the issue of cross-border poaching and liaising with Interpol.



- African Eye

Thanks Kathi,

I don't think the US cops want to get left out of all this fun. It is such a juicy story and central casting could not have created a better cast of villains.

There has been such a huge number of hunters who were ripped off over the years, it is amazing. When I first posted the newspaper articles about Dawie's leopard smuggling arrest, I had three taxidermists in three different States contact me, as well as a few individuals.

When I started calling around to them, I found that the taxidermists had taken small groups of five or six clients and friends over to SA on hunts with Out of Africa.

Their hunts were disastrous, and most of them never saw their trophies. When some wanted to leave early, in disgust with the whole Out of Africa thing, Dawie informed them it would be an extra $5000 each to leave! This sounds like an intimidation and extortion scam to me.

If I can uncover so much from one post on Facebook and Twitter, can you imagine what a real FBI investigator could turn up? It is what we call a target rich environment, and could be a career maker for an agent who is not afraid of stomping on the toes of the rich and powerful.

Cheers,

~ Alan

Have they named the Vets?

Bryan,

Yes, the vets were Karel Toet, his wife Mariza, and their business partner Manie du Plessis. They are all from Modimolle.

Karel Toet was released on bail of R50,000. Manie du Plessis and Mariza Toet were given bail of R20,000.

Cheers,

~ Alan