Police in Limpopo and rangers from the Kruger National Park arrested three suspects aged between 29 and 38 for possession of a crocodile carcass, its fat and skin, and a dead vulture.

The trio was arrested during a joint operation conducted at Mbaula village, in Giyani policing area, on Wednesday morning.

“It is reported that the team received information about suspected poachers in the area. They accurately followed the leads, which resulted in the arrest of the suspects. They were found at separate locations in the village,” said provincial police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba.

“During the arrests, the police recovered fresh crocodile skin and a dead vulture.”

During the arrest, the suspects led police officers to a place inside the local river, where they recovered a full carcass of a crocodile that was without skin. 

The arrested trio is set to appear before the Giyani Magistrate’s Court on Friday for possession of the game.

The police investigations are ongoing.

Last month, IOL reported that a 48-year-old man was arrested by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, also known as the Hawks, in Nelspruit after he was found selling barn owls.

The Hawks also seized the vehicle, a Nissan bakkie, used to transport the nocturnal birds during the arrest. 

“The suspect was arrested after he was found selling wildlife. He was found in one of the shopping complexes in Nelspruit for allegedly selling four barn owls for R1,000 each,” said Mpumalanga provincial Hawks spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Magonseni Nkosi.

The Hawks were alerted by the Parks Board officials, and a joint operation was conducted, where the suspect was caught red-handed with the owls, without a permit.

“The vehicle, a Nissan light delivery vehicle that was used to transport the wildlife, was seized, and the animals were handed over to Parks Board,” said Nkosi.

jonisayi.maromo@iol.co.za

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