Two Nigerian nationals arrested in Gauteng after seizure of rhino horns and tiger bones
Seventeen rhino horns and more than 26 kilograms of lion and tiger bones, skulls and claws have been seized.
Image: BMA
Seventeen rhino horns and more than 26 kilograms of lion and tiger bones, skulls and claws have been seized in Kempton Park, Gauteng a coordinated transnational operation that South African authorities say marks a major breakthrough in the fight against wildlife trafficking.
According to authorities, a “major breakthrough has been achieved in the fight against wildlife trafficking following a coordinated transnational operation that resulted in the seizure of a significant consignment of rhino horns and lion/tiger parts destined for the South East Asian illegal market.”
The operation involved the Border Management Authority (BMA), the South African Revenue Service (SARS) and the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), working with a broad network of supporting agencies.
The raid took place on December 1, 2025 and was led by the DPCI Wildlife Trafficking Section.
Integrated support came from the Border Management Authority, SOCI Vaal Rand, Counter-intelligence Head Office, SARS Customs, CAP Special Operations, Tracker Connect, the Gauteng SAPS Tactical Response Team and the Gauteng SAPS Airwing. Officials described the operation as intelligence-driven, emphasising the coordinated approach used throughout.
Authorities launched the investigation after “a suspicious consignment originally dispatched to Singapore was identified and returned to its sender in South Africa.”
Once the shipment was flagged, investigators traced it to a storage facility in Kempton Park. A search of the facility revealed four boxes linked to the consignment. All four were opened and closely examined by the multi-agency team.
Inside the boxes, officials discovered 17 rhino horns weighing 55.4 kilograms. Alongside the horns, they recovered 26.2 kilograms of lion and tiger bones, skulls and claws.
According to the statement, the wildlife products are believed to form part of a broader transnational trafficking network responsible for smuggling wildlife products from South Africa to foreign markets. Authorities have not yet disclosed the value of the seizure, citing ongoing forensic and valuation processes.
Two Nigerian nationals, aged 34 and 35, were identified as the receivers of the consignment. Officers arrested the pair immediately.
They appeared before the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court on December 3, facing charges related to the contravention of Section 57(1) of the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act (Act 10 of 2004).
The section prohibits restricted activities involving listed threatened or protected species.
Dr Michael Masiapato, Commissioner of the Border Management Authority, commended all agencies involved for their seamless coordination and reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to combating wildlife trafficking, which threatens South Africa’s natural heritage and fuels organised criminal networks.
He added that the operation demonstrates “the value of intelligence-sharing, inter-agency cooperation, and decisive enforcement action against syndicates targeting our endangered species.”