A JOINT security operation has disrupted an illegal wildlife-poaching gang in Zululand.
The latest Rhino-6 Task Team and Nyathi Anti-poaching Unit initiative captured three heavily armed suspects near Mfekay‚ north of Richards Bay, on Tuesday.
The arrests came after two other poachers were jailed for 26 years each in KwaZulu-Natal on Friday.
In the operation this week, the antipoaching team recovered a heavy-calibre hunting rifle with silencer‚ cartridges‚ two axes‚ and the skins of protected animal species‚ including honey badger‚ bush baby‚ red duiker and crocodile, a Nyathi official said.
The suspects are expected to appear in court today.
KwaZulu-Natal has been hit hard by poachers since the beginning of the year‚ with 18 rhinos killed to date‚ after last year’s record figure of 116 poached rhinos out of a national total of 1 175.
Meanwhile, in what has been termed a decisive action‚ a court on Friday handed down maximum jail terms to two poachers.
Alberto Chomudomdo‚ a Zimbabwean‚ and Mike Ndlovu‚ a Mozambican‚ each received effective 26-year jail sentences in the Ingwavuma Magistrate’s Court.
They were arrested at Tembe Elephant Park in northern Zululand in July in a joint operation between the SAPS Special Task Force led by the Hawks and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife.
Magistrate MA Khumalo sentenced the men to 10 years for illegally hunting rhinos‚ 10 years for illegal possession of an unlicensed .375 bolt-action firearm‚ and six years for illegal possession of ammunition.
Ezemvelo Wildlife chief executive David Mabunda said: “We hope that this sentence will go a long way in demonstrating that rhino poaching does not pay.”
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