OR Tambo bust for Vietnamese rhino horn smugglers

The two - a 40-year-old man and a 30-year-old woman - have been charged with illegal possession of elephant ivory and rhino horn under the National Environmental Management Biodiversity Act (NEMBA).

Security X-ray scanners alerted authorities of the illegal goods in the suspects' luggage as they passed through security. Members of the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Police Service then discovered two rhino horns, five elephant tusks, 20 ivory chopsticks, 31 ivory bangles, 18 ivory blocks, and three ivory earrings. A record number of rhinos - over 430 to date - were poached in South Africa this year. Demand for ivory continues to fuel the poaching of elephants as well, especially in East and Central Africa, AsianScientist says.

The arrest comes only months after two Vietnamese nationals were convicted of smuggling 20 rhino horns at OR Tambo International Airport. They were sentenced to 12 and 8 years in jail respectively. The current high demand for rhino horn appears to be driven primarily from Vietnam, where it is being prescribed by some medical practitioners as a 'detoxicant' and is popular among high-flyers trying to impress their peers. In September, South African and Vietnamese authorities formally agreed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on natural resource management, wildlife protection, and law enforcement.

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