Police clamp down on rhino poachers

© andreanita – za.fotolia.com

Police arrested two suspected rhino poachers at Nyongane in Hazyview, Mpumalanga, in the early hours of Wednesday morning, 27 May.

One suspect was found with five 458 PMP rifle rounds, four R5 rounds, two PMP 270 rounds, one PMP 71 MR7 round and an air rifle while his accomplice was found with a hunting rifle, one homemade silencer and a firearm barrel.

"The former suspect was charged with possession of a prohibited firearm whilst the latter was charged with illegal possession of ammunition. The duo were detained at Hazyview police cells and will appear in court soon," Police spokesperson Colonel Vishnu Naidoo said.

Meanwhile, earlier this month two rhino poachers were sentenced by the Nelspruit Regional Court in Mpumalanga to 30 years imprisonment.

They were found guilty of illegal hunting of protected species in a national park, possession of an unlicenced firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, possession of a firearm with the intention to commit a crime and trespassing in a national park.

Mozambican nationals Silver Tibane, 33, and Mucindi Abondi, 24, were arrested at the Tshokwane section of the Kruger National Park during Operation Rhino in October.

Field rangers had responded to gunshots that were heard in the section and managed to identify and apprehend the suspects during an investigation.

Tibane and Abondi were found in possession of a .375 hunting rifle, two .375 rounds, one .375 cartridge case, two rhino horns worth an estimated R500,000 and an axe.