If you’ve been following the development of the rhino poaching issue in South Africa recently, you will be pleased to know that two Thai nationals, suspected to be central to an international rhino poaching syndicate, were arrested at OR Tambo International this morning.

The two men were held and questioned on the arrival of their flight from Thailand, and then handed over the police. One suspect already has a criminal record in South Africa for smuggling lion bones and other animal products out of the country, and the second man had a rather large chunk of undeclared foreign currency in his luggage. Police believe both to have ties to rhino poaching syndicate boss, Chumlong Lemtonghai. Lemtonghai himself is due back in court on Tuesday under charges of  fraud and contravening the Customs and Excise Act.

Hopefully this marks another blow for illicit groups engaging in organised rhino poaching activity in SA, or that it at least make criminals think twice before they enter the country with a history of animal part smuggling.

[Source: Lead SA]