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Network News Network News South Africa: Rhino horn and ivory grabbed in Addo heist
Network News Network News South Africa: Rhino horn and ivory grabbed in Addo heist
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South Africa: Rhino horn and ivory grabbed in Addo heist |
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RHINO horn and ivory worth an estimated R850000 was stolen in a dramatic heist at the Addo Elephant National Park. Five armed men who hit the famous tourist destination also made off with five R1 assault rifles and four cars belonging to the park‘s staff members. Provincial police spokesman Captain Ernest Sigobe said the men arrived at Addo‘s main entrance after 5pm on Wednesday and tied up the security guard on duty after holding him up at gunpoint. “Four went inside while one remained (with) the security guard. Inside the administrative building they held staff at gunpoint and (took) 10,3 kilograms of rhino horn, ivory and five R1 rifles,” Sigobe said. The robbers then drove off in fours cars belonging to staff members. “They abandoned three of them along the road just outside Addo. No shots were fired and no one was hurt. “No arrests have been made, but police are investigating a case of armed robbery.” Addo spokesman Megan Taplin refused to comment. There is a lucrative black market for both ivory and rhino horn. Two rhinos have been killed in the Eastern Cape in the past six months. Yusuf Jeeva, of Kwantu Game Reserve, who lost a rhino through poaching in December, said: “We are very concerned about poaching in game parks. We have tightened up our security and are taking great care of our rhinos as they are an endangered species.” A rhino was also poached at Shamwari Game Reserve in December but the thieves failed to make off with the horn. The slaying was believed to be the work of a national syndicate which has slaughtered more than 40 rhinos in the past two years in the Kruger National Park and KwaZulu Natal and Limpopo reserves. Sigobe said that at this stage there were no suspicions the Addo robbery could be linked to the syndicate. Most harvested rhino horns are smuggled to the Far East. http://www.weekendpost.co.za/article.aspx?id=438458 |
