The South African government has welcomed the confiscation of rhino horns valued at about US$2.1 million in Hong Kong, the ministry of environmental affairs said on Wednesday.
“The 82.5kg of rhino horn was allegedly smuggled from South Africa in a shipment marked as containing motor vehicle parts, destined for Malaysia when it was intercepted by customs authorities at the Hong Kong International Airport following a tip-off,” the ministry said on Wednesday.
The rhino horns were discovered when the shipment was X-rayed, the office said, adding that Hong Kong customs officials have indicated that this was the single largest haul of endangered species products caught in five years.
However, no arrests have been made so far, the ministry said. It is suspected that this is the work of Chinese syndicates based in South Africa working with local poachers.
The ministry said it was concerned that “these consignments are not being detected and seized before they leave South Africa.”
“A review of the measures in place to make such detections is urgently required in order to continue to adapt to the shifts in the modus operandi of the syndicates involved in this transnational crime,” the ministry said.
It said the South African government is in contact with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation in Hong Kong so that DNA samples of the horns can be brought to South Africa “to determine whether they are linked to any ongoing or unsolved poaching investigations here.”
NM/jn/APA