South African smuggler busted with 12 rhino horns bound for Dubai
SARS received a tip-off about the South African woman before she boarded the plane bound for Dubai.
The woman was stopped at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg.
SARS received a tip-off about the smuggler and stopped her in her tracks as she made an attempt to fly to Dubai.
Read more: 24 rhinos poached in SA in 14 days
Speaking to TimesLive, SARS said that "two luggage bags and a box were inspected by a baggage scanner that identified irregular images suspected to be rhino horn. This led to a physical inspection of the luggage and box in which 12 pieces of rhino horn, weighing 30.7kg, were found. The passenger and the rhino horns were handed to the police, after which a criminal case was opened for investigation.”
The war on rhino horn smuggling has intensified over the last decade as authorities try to clamp down on the rhino horn trade.
Smugglers have been finding new ways to smuggle rhino horn out of Africa. Beads, bangles and other carved rhino-horn trinkets have previously been found in destination countries like Vietnam and China.
Read more: Vietnam gives longest ever jail term for trading rhino horn: NGO
Poaching of rhino horns in South Africa is on the rise once again after a decrease when the country went into a lockdown due to COVID-19. Once the restrictions were eased, poachers seem to have gotten back to the hunt for horns.
Rhino poaching in South Africa was 15 percent higher in 2021 than the preceding year as coronavirus restrictions that limited movement were eased.
Read more: Uptick in rhino poaching as South Africa eases virus curbs
The woman and the rhino horns have since been handed over to the authorities.
Have you ever wondered why the rhino horn trade so profitable?
In other rhino-related news:
Four black rhino bulls were successfully transported by truck from Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife's Weenen Nature Reserve and the Ithala Game Reserve to the Bonamanzi Game Reserve earlier this month. (News24)
Main image attribution: IOL
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Main image attribution: IOL