Durban - Operation Rhino 6 has seen police crime intelligence collectors and information analysts deployed to the Kruger National Park to boost anti-poaching initiatives since mid-July.
This had resulted in the arrest of 12 suspects; the confiscation of nine rifles, two pistols and a large amount of ammunition; the recovery of six rhino horns and a vehicle; while 29 suspects had been identified.
The information was made available to MPs at the parliamentary police committee on Wednesday.
Details weren’t discussed in the open committee session after MPs were informed that, on a previous occasion, the justice, crime prevention and security cluster “did not take kindly” to the SAPS discussing intelligence matters in public.
However, The Star has seen a copy of the intelligence presentation.
According to the document, police intelligence operations are focused on at least four gates and border crossings to the 2 million-hectare Kruger National Park.
In addition to recruiting informers and agents in the area, the SAPS intelligence operations include establishing a database of people arrested and/or suspected of rhino poaching.
Efforts are under way to identifying the end-receivers of rhino horn “for arrest and disruption purposes”.
This is part of an integrated approach as most of the poached rhinos are killed in the Kruger Park.
Last month, Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa said that of the 749 rhinos poached countrywide this year, 544 were killed in the park.
Last year, 716 rhinos were killed and 459 of those were poached in the Kruger Park.
This year, there has been a 27 percent increase of would-be poachers entering the park. It amounted to 1 617 of what the government calls “identified poacher activities”, or three a day, Molewa added.
The collectors and analysts were deployed to step up the fight against poaching.
“It became evident that the planned police actions on rhino poaching were not yielding the desired result due to the lack of an integrated approach and a dedicated crime intelligence capacity to provide accurate, relevant, credible and timeous intelligence” the document states.
“The suspects usually recruit rangers, employees and former employees of the Kruger National Park for information regarding the location of the rhinos and planned operations.”
In their interactions with MPs, top police officers also acknowledged corrupt officials in the SAPS, SANDF and border agencies who were helping the syndicates.
Aside from intelligence collectors and information analysts, the SAPS has made available its specialised units, the Tactical Response Team, the National Intervention Unit and Special Task Force on six-week rotations, as well as the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, or the Hawks.
The directorate’s public presentation also highlighted how organised groups of up to eight people “operate almost in military formation”, dividing themselves into a “reconnaissance group and an assault team.
The groups enter from Mozambique through the Kruger Park, the Crocodile River gate near Komatipoort or the Lebombo border post. Poaching groups also enter the park from Mpumalanga and Limpopo.
A total of 18 detectives in Mpumalanga and Limpopo are dedicated to fighting rhino poaching, led by a lieutenant-colonel stationed in the Kruger Park.
While the prosecuting authorities in Limpopo have dedicated two prosecutors to rhino-related cases (more guilty verdicts than not have been obtained since 2011 in that province), talks are under way for a similar arrangement in Mpumalanga.
In addition, detectives have nine vehicles available, including four which have been modified with strong suspensions and “bush fridges” so that the teams can operate inside the park for up to seven days, it emerged at yesterday’s police committee meeting.
The Hawks identified the lack of a record of who accessed and left the park as well as the limited use of technology, among others, as vulnerabilities in the fight against rhino poaching.
However, national police commissioner General Riah Phiyega confirmed that “the issue of drones is high on the agenda” as the SAPS was finalising a memorandum of understanding with arms manufacturer Denel.
“Indeed it is a less costly exercise and will assist us,” Phiyega said about the use of such unmanned combat aerial vehicles, although those must still comply with civil aviation regulations.
The Star