South Africa accuses 6 of massive rhino horn trafficking scheme involving nearly 1,000 horns

[Coventina]

LONDON -- Six suspects accused of orchestrating one of South Africa's largest rhino horn trafficking operations appeared in court Tuesday following a 7-year investigation that uncovered a scheme involving 964 rhino horns destined for illegal markets in Southeast Asia, authorities said.

The arrests mark what officials are calling a "decisive victory" in the country's fight against international wildlife crime, as South Africa continues to battle a poaching crisis that claimed 420 rhinos in 2024 alone.

Among those arrested was John Hume, 83, the controversial former owner of the world's largest rhino farm who once bred about 2,000 white rhinos, roughly an eighth of the global population, before selling his operation to African Parks in 2023.

The six suspects, aged between 49 and 84, surrendered to the South African Police's elite Hawks unit at Sunnyside Police Station before appearing in Pretoria Magistrates' Court on charges including fraud, theft and violations of environmental protection laws.

https://abcnews.go.com/International/south-africa-accuses-6-massive-rhino-horn-trafficking/story?id=124802262

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I probably shouldn't put into print what I want to do to these poachers AND their customers!

[JustAnotherGen]

1. Evil

I have seen where preservationists deliberately file down the rhino's horns so they wont fall victim to killers.

Tusked elephants will sadly be a thing of the past, as it is a genetic inheritance. As they've killed off those with tusks for the tusks - They are killing off that gene pool.

Unfortunately - Rhinos don't have that.

Even more unfortunate? We may soon live in a world that is out of the order for elephants. I can't blow icebergs into existence for polar bears, stop california wildfires for cougars, raccoons, bears, etc. etc.

But I take a little bit of comfort that at least elephants are 'evolving' to lose value to Evil Human Beings.

[Dave Bowman]

2. This is a despicable traffic and yes, the buyers should get arrested also.