Poachers arrested in St Lucia

AN anonymous tip-off, received by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife staff based in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park World Heritage Site, of individuals planning to poach rhinos within the game reserve, led to the arrest of four suspects on Monday.

The anonymous caller, followed up on his initial call informing the staff that the culprits were approaching Mtubatuba.

Ezemvelo’s St Lucia Anti-Poaching Unit (APU) and the SAPS’s Rhino 9 members jointly implemented a strategy to track down the culprits.

They were intercepted and arrested at the beach in St Lucia.

Two of the suspects are Mozambican nationals and two South Africans from Mpumalanga.

An unidentified hunting rifle was found hidden in an airbag, a silencer, a Golf 4 vehicle and cell phones and live ammunition were all found in their possession.

Results of forensic tests, which were conducted on the rifle, are not yet available.

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Acting CEO, Bheki Khoza has applauded the cooperation between the SAPS’s Rhino 9 and Ezemvelo’s APU.

‘The fight against rhino poaching will only be won if all law enforcement institutions work together and are supported by the communities adjacent to the protected areas,’ said Khoza.

To date, 54 rhinos have been killed in KZN compared to 93 at this time last year.