A 42-year-old Toyota Quantum driver is expected to appear before the Middleburg Magistrate’s Court tomorrow Friday 21 October 22 on allegations of being in possession of rhino horns valued at about R2 million.
On the early hours of Thursday morning 20 October 2022 at about 02:00, members of Middleburg K9 were conducting their normal patrol duties when they stopped a White Toyota Quantum with Mpumalanga registration plates on the N4 next to Middleburg toll plaza.
There were no passengers in the minibus.
After police introduced themselves to the driver, they requested to search the vehicle.
A black plastic bag with two rhino horns was found concealed in the bonnet.
The driver failed to explain about the masked rhino horns in the plastic bag.
The suspect was arrested and charged for possession of rhinoceros horns. Police cannot rule out the possibility of adding other charge of contravening of the National Environmental Management Biodiversity Act.
The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has welcomed the arrest and the recovery of the rhino horns. The General further added that poachers are endangering and causing the extinction of the keystone species which has the detrimental effect on animals’ ecosystem in the country.
