Overview
- Authorities intercepted 20 white rhinoceros horns weighing 35.7kg on Nov 8 in four shipments routed from South Africa to Laos and labeled as furniture fittings.
- A SATS cargo acceptance staff member detected a strong odor and inconsistencies during checks, prompting inspections that uncovered animal parts and triggered X-ray screening of the remaining cargo.
- Alongside the horns, about 150kg of bones, teeth and claws were seized, with species identification ongoing and initial assessments pointing to carnivores.
- NParks has begun forensic DNA work and will collaborate with the University of Pretoria to pinpoint the origins and individual animals involved.
- The horns will be destroyed under CITES-aligned protocols, and Singapore notes tougher penalties since 2022 for illegal trade in Appendix I species, including fines up to S$1 million and up to eight years’ jail.