Hawks swoop on ‘poachers’

DISCIPLINED: SYNDICATE OF ALLEGED RHINO HORN TRAFFICKERS WORKED LIKE MILITARY UNIT

Four police officers among the six-member gang who were arrested yesterday.

The lavish lifestyle and homes of junior police officers raised eyebrows when they were arrested as part of a syndicate believed to traffic in poached rhino horns.

A Culcutta police station captain and his son, a former constable, and one constable each from Hazyview and Skukuza police stations inside the Kruger National Park made up four of the six members of the alleged syndicate.

The arrests were made by the Hawks supported by Counter Intelligence, Special Task Force, SA Police Service Forensic Science Service, SANParks, the department of environmental affairs, SA Revenue Service and Customs, including the National Prosecuting Authority. a crime, illegal buying and selling of rhino horns, corruption and money laundering.

Mulaudzi said internal disciplinary processes were under way for the arrested officers.

“The significant breakthrough follows an investigation – Project Broadbill – by the wildlife trafficking section of the Hawks, which started in January last year.

“The project focused on the criminal supply chain of poached rhinos within the Kruger National Park, KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and other private or state-owned reserves. The syndicate members allegedly ran poaching groups with the support of corrupt police officials as well as authorities from the private game farms,” Mulaudzi said.

“The criminal operations were well planned and allegedly achieved with para-military discipline and counter intelligence actions to prevent exposure,” said Mulaudzi.

Hawks boss Lieutenant-General Godfrey Lebeya said yesterday’s operation was a “huge success” in the fight against rhino poaching. –