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4h ago

Six Charged in South Africa Over 964 Rhino Horns After Seven-Year Probe

A seven-year specialist probe that authorities say dismantled a trafficking network has led to a December court date under strict bail conditions.

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FILE - In this Sunday, Dec. 20, 2015 file photo, rhinos walk in the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi game reserve in South Africa. (AP Photo/Schalk van Zuydam, File)
Southern white rhinos in Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park. The southern white rhino came close to extinction at the end of the 19th century and was saved from extinction by conservation efforts at HIP. Image by Jim Tan for Mongabay.
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Overview

  • Among the accused is John Hume, 83, the former owner of the Platinum Rhino ranch sold to African Parks in 2023, which housed about 2,000 rhinos.
  • Prosecutors filed 55 counts including racketeering, fraud, theft and money laundering tied to horns valued at roughly 250 million rand (about $14 million).
  • Investigators allege the group used fraudulent permits to mask domestic transactions while exporting horns to illegal markets in Southeast Asia despite the CITES ban.
  • All six surrendered to the Hawks and appeared in the Pretoria Magistrates’ Court, where they were granted bail; Hume’s was set at 100,000 rand, and all surrendered passports, with a next appearance on December 9.
  • The Hawks’ Wildlife Trafficking Section worked with the Green Scorpions and the National Prosecuting Authority, and officials framed the case as a key advance as South Africa battles persistent rhino poaching.