Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister Dr Dion George has welcomed arrests of suspects linked to an international rhino horn syndicate, describing it as a decisive victory in the country’s fight against international wildlife crime.

Following a seven-year investigation, the Wildlife Trafficking Section of the Serious Organised Crime Investigation Unit has dismantled a major transnational rhino horn trafficking network.

The syndicate is linked to a fraudulent scheme involving 964 rhino horns, worth millions of rands, destined for illegal markets in Southeast Asia.

Six suspects, between the ages of 49 and 84, face charges of fraud, theft, and contravention of the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act (Nemba), with charges of racketeering and money laundering also under consideration.

The suspects surrendered to the Hawks at the Sunnyside Police Station, in Pretoria, and appeared before the Pretoria Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.

The investigation was also supported by the Enforcement Unit of the Department, known as the Green Scorpions, as well as the National Prosecuting Authority.

George said the coordination was a “powerful” demonstration of South Africa’s resolve to protect its natural heritage.

“The Hawks’ work shows that our enforcement agencies will not hesitate to pursue those who plunder our wildlife for criminal profit. The illegal trade in rhino horn not only destroys biodiversity but also undermines the rule of law and the foundations of environmental governance,” he said.

Investigations revealed that the suspects allegedly defrauded the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) by securing permits under false pretences to buy and sell rhino horns domestically, while funnelling them into illegal international markets.

George explained that under South African law, domestic trade is permitted with valid DFFE-issued permits in terms of Nemba.

“International commercial trade in rhino horn is banned under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora,” he explained.

In 2024, 420 rhinos were poached, down from 499 poached in 2023.