A second rhino horn smuggler has been arrested within two weeks at OR Tambo Airport.
The Department of Environmental Affairs said a 30-year-old Zimbabwean woman was arrested on Thursday.
“Suspicious items were noticed by private security personnel during the scanning of her check-in lug gage and reported to customs officials who, in turn, called the Green Scorpions to assist with identification of the items.
“The horns were found hidden among electronic items in a suitcase.”
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The woman was set to depart to Hong Kong when two rhino horns were found in her luggage.
The confiscated rhino horn, said the department, would be subjected to genetic pro- filing by the Forensic Science Laboratory of the South Afri-can Police Service to determine the origin of the rhinoceros horn or possible links with other investigations.
The department said that in terms of the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act and the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites), a permit was required to possess or transport rhino horn.
Not being in possession of a permit could result in a fine of up to R10 million, or a fine equal to three times the commercial value of the rhinoceros horn; imprisonment for a period not exceeding 10 years; or both a fine and imprisonment.
This arrest follows the arrest of a 24-year-old woman who was in transit to Hong Kong from Lusaka, Zambia, via South Africa in late July.
The investigation and arrest at OR Tambo Airport of the Chinese national was also as a result of multi-agency action.
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Eleven rhino horns weighing 23kg were confiscated when the woman was taken into custody.
In May, 7kg of rhino horn and pieces were hidden in teabags and found at Swissport Cargo/Qatar Airlines.
Also in May, 13.2kg of rhino horn was found in a box booked in as additional baggage.
On June 11 two Chinese passengers en route to Hong Kong with Turkish Airlines were arrested. Each had about 12kg of rhino horn in their check-in baggage.
On June 14 a Vietnamese passenger was arrested en route to Hong Kong on a Cathay Pacific flight as he was found with five horns in his check-in baggage.