Pretoria – The elite unit of the South African Police Service, the Hawks, said on Thursday a 42-year-old shipping agent arrested at OR Tambo International Airport will appear in the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court on charges of dealing in rhino horn and perjury.
“On Monday, customs officials seized a consignment of rhino horn destined for Malaysia, which was marked and declared as scaffolding equipment,” said Hawks Gauteng provincial spokesperson Captain Ndivhuwo Mulamu.
“Upon searching the load, authorities discovered rhino horn weighing about 47kg, worth approximately R3 million concealed in cardboard boxes stashed inside crates.
"Further investigations by the Hawks’ serious organised crime investigation team led them to a shipping agent in Edenvale where the suspect was arrested and charged for illegal dealing in rhino horns and perjury.”
On Tuesday, customs officials from the SA Revenue Service (Sars) recovered rhino horn at OR Tambo International Airport that was to be illegally shipped to international buyers.
The customs teams and their detection dogs located 41 pieces of rhino horn valued at R115.66 million in a consignment declared as “fine art”.
According to Sars, the contraband had been concealed in carbon paper and foil and was destined for the capital city of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur.