Three suspects, aged between 35 and 45, were arrested in Swellendam earlier this week for the illegal possession and sale of rhinoceros horns worth almost R300 000, reports Cape {town} Etc.
According to Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Siyabulela Vukubi, the arrest results from a joint sting operation between the Hawks’ Bellville-based Economic Protected Resources (EPR) Unit, SAPS K9 Unit Overberg and Swellendam-based Stock Theft and Endangered Species Unit.
‘It was reported that on Wednesday, 2 July 2025, the Hawks members conducted an operation where rhinoceros horns were allegedly purchased on the N2, Buffeljags Rivier, Swellendam. This operation led to the arrest of one of the suspects,’ said Vukubi.
‘The other two attempted to flee but were pursued and apprehended. Three rhinoceros horns to the value of R258 270 were recovered.’
The trio is expected to appear at the Swellendam Magistrates’ Court today, 4 July.
While rhino populations are at a tipping point, South Africa has by far the largest population of rhinos in the world but has also been the country hit hardest by poaching criminals, according to Save the Rhino. Between 2013 and 2017, the height of the country’s poaching crisis, more than 1 000 rhinos were killed each year.
‘In 2024, 420 rhinos were killed in South Africa, a welcome decrease of more than 15% compared to 2023. Yet organised crime remains a significant threat to rhinos in the country,’ said Save the Rhino.
‘Rhino poaching is not merely the work of opportunistic criminals; it is part of a complex web of illicit networks that span national and continental borders. Disrupting these intricate networks require multifaceted approaches and international partnerships.’
The organisation added that rhino horns are a highly sought-after commodity used in Traditional Chinese Medicine, as an aphrodisiac as well as a status symbol of wealth and success.
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Picture: Ajeet Panesar
