Bellville: A 52-year-old suspect linked to rhino poaching will today appear before the Bellville Magistrate Court. The suspect, who was about to board a flight to Singapore with his family, was arrested by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) Western Cape, which assisted in executing the arrest warrant, as issued by the Kempton Park Magistrate Court.

According to South African Government News Agency, the suspect has been connected to a Kempton Park case involving the possession of rhino horns and predator bones, allegedly originating from Haartebeesfontein in the North West. This act contravenes sections of the National Environmental Management and Biodiversity Act. The arrest follows the apprehension of two Nigerian nationals on 1 December 2025.

The alleged rhino horns were reportedly part of a staged robbery at Voi Farm, Hartbeesfontein, where 98 rhino horns were stolen on 8 December 2025. Subsequent investigations revealed that 17 of the rhino horns recovered on 1 December 2025 were among those stolen.

Authorities discovered that the rhino horns' owner, a Vietnamese national, was conspicuously absent during the robbery. The suspected getaway vehicle was traced to Woodhill Golf Estate in Pretoria. Search warrants were obtained and executed by a joint operation led by the Hawks' Serious Organised Crime Investigation's Wildlife Trafficking section, with help from various departments including SAPS K9 Pretoria and Forensic Science Laboratories.

The operation led to the seizure of a Toyota Prado, believed to have been used in the crime. Lieutenant General Patrick Mbotho, the acting National Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, emphasized the DPCI's commitment to eradicating wildlife trafficking and related organized crime.