NELSPRUIT – Cooperation between SANparks officials, Rangers and Protection Services as well as members of the South African Police Service saw four men aged between 47 and 23 being nabbed in the Kruger National Park, earlier today.

Information at police disposal revealed that the SANparks officials received information about the four suspects who were reportedly about to exit the Park, traveling in two vehicles. They (officials) pounced on them, with the assistance of a SANparks chopper that had to land on the road in order to blockade the fleeing men’s vehicles. The men, amongst them a SANparks employee, were searched whereupon the following items were found in their possession, a freshly cut set of rhino horns, a hunting rifle and ammunition. They were immediately arrested with all the exhibits, including the two vehicles being confiscated.

The suspects will appear at the Bushbuckridge Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 18 February 2019, facing among others, illegal hunting, possession of a hunting rifle and ammunition without a licence as well as trespassing charges.

Meanwhile another two men aged 36 and 31 will appear at the Hendrina Magistrate’s Court on the same Monday, facing charges of possession of a firearm as well as ammunition without a licence.

Their appearance spirals from their arrest today during a routine police stop and search operation, wherein the suspects were found in possession of a revolver, a toy pistol and ammunition. The pair, found walking on the street, were surprised by the men and women in blue and attempted to flee, but it was too late for them.

The Provincial Commissioner of the police in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Mondli Zuma applauded the teams and urged each and every law enforcement officer in the province to always be cautious in order to remove the rotten elements from society.

Source: South African Police Service