Pretoria - Two men, Junior Chauke aged 49 and Prince Ntsako Letswele, aged 33 were remanded in custody by the Ermelo Magistrate’s Court after they were arrested for alleged possession of rhino horn.
Hawks’ spokesperson in Mpumalanga Captain Dineo Lucy Sekgotodi said the duo was arrested after police received information about a vehicle with the occupants in possession of firearms, reportedly driving towards Ermelo.
“The police went to the direction of the road where the vehicle was coming from, and spotted it. The suspects in the vehicle tried to flee upon seeing the police but were both arrested,” said Sekgotodi.
The Secunda-based Hawks’ serious organised crime investigation team was called, and arrived to process the crime scene.
“The white Toyota (Hilux) was searched in the presence of the suspects. During the search, two big and two small rhino horns weighing 14,6 kilograms to the value of R876 000 were found inside the (paper) bag hidden in the engine compartment. The rhino horns and the vehicle were confiscated for further investigation,” said Sekgotodi.
“The case against the duo was postponed to 14 December 2022 for profiling and legal representative. The suspects remain in custody.”
In October, a 42-year-old man was arrested by members of the Middelburg K9 Unit after a black plastic bag, with two rhino horns valued at about R2 million was allegedly found in his vehicle.
At the time, police spokesperson in Mpumalanga, Brigadier Selvy Mohlala, said the suspect, who was driving a white Toyota Quantum with Mpumalanga registration plates on the N4 next to Middelburg toll plaza, was stopped by the Middleburg K9 Unit while they were conducting routine patrol duties, in the early hours of the morning.
The driver who was alone in the vehicle was asked by the police to search his vehicle and a black plastic bag with two rhino horns was found concealed in the bonnet.
The driver was arrested on the spot when he failed to explain where he had gotten the masked rhino horns that were in the plastic bag.
IOL