160kg rhino horn seized at OR Tambo airport
A criminal case was registered with the SAPS for further investigation.
Customs officers Sars seized 32 pieces of rhino horn, weighing 160kg, at a cargo transit shed at the OR Tambo International Airport on July 17.
The officers were conducting manifest profiling with the Detector Dog Unit at the airport when one of the sniffer dogs identified a suspicious shipment destined for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The shipment was declared as “live plants” and consisted of eight pieces. During physical inspection, six boxes were found containing traditional material concealing 32 pieces of rhino horn protected with bubble wrap.
ALSO READ: Kempton Park shop owners speak out after riots
Hawks was alerted about the detection. A criminal case was registered with the SAPS for further investigation.
Previous rhino horn busts at ORTIA included:
• February 2021: 18 pieces of rhino horn, weighing 63kg declared as HP Cartridges Developers bound for Malaysia.
• December 2020: 17 pieces of rhino horn weighing 72.4kg concealed in a geyser bound for Malaysia.
• September 2020: six pieces, weighing 4.9kg declared as coffee beans bound for Malaysia.
• July 2020: 41 pieces, weighing 137kg declared as fine arts bound for Malaysia via Doha.
Also follow us on:
