Rifles‚ axes and fake bank cards - What poaching suspects are armed with

27 May 2015 - 13:02 By RDM News Wire

The weaponry toted by poachers is highlighted by the latest arrests in the Kruger National Park – the area of the country most affected by rhinos being killed for their horns. Police said that yesterday‚ members of Operation Rhino arrested two suspected rhino poachers at Nyongane in Hazyview‚ Mpumalanga‚ in the early hours of the morning.One suspect was found with five 458 PMP rifle rounds‚ four R5 rounds‚ two PMP 270 rounds‚ one PMP 71 MR7 round and an air rifle. His accomplice was found with a hunting rifle‚ one homemade silencer and a firearm barrel. The duo was detained at Hazyview police cells and will appear in court soon‚ police said in a statement. On May 19‚ a police team made up of crime intelligence and National Investigative Unit arrested Mandla Mbuyane‚ 45‚ for possession of a .22 Rifle‚ 54 live rounds of ammunition for .22 rifle and for 9mm pistol‚ axes‚ jackets and bags.Elson Kubayi‚ 62‚ and Welcome Mokoena‚ 51‚ were also arrested when the police found a 9mm pistol with 14 rounds of ammunition under the driver's seat of a vehicle belonging to Mokoena‚ police said.In Kanyamazane‚ Colben Chilenge‚ 35‚ and Desmond Matlaka‚ 32‚ were arrested for possession of counterfeit bank cards and a skimming device.Meanwhile‚ a hefty prison term was handed down earlier this month for rhino poaching.On May 14‚ the Nelspruit Regional Court in Mpumalanga sentenced two men to 30 years imprisonment after they were found guilty of illegal hunting of protected species in a national park‚ possession of an unlicenced firearm‚ unlawful possession of ammunition‚ possession of a firearm with the intention to commit a crime and trespassing in a national park. Mozambican nationals Silver Tibane‚ 33‚ and Mucindi Abondi‚ 24‚ were arrested at the Tshokwane section of the Kruger National Park during Operation Rhino in the evening of October 2‚ 2014. They were found in possession of a .375 hunting rifle‚ two .375 rounds‚ one .375 cartridge case‚ two rhino horns worth an estimated R500‚000‚ and an axe.This comes as police and other authorities try to clamp down on the rampant poaching inside the Kruger Park.By the end of April‚ 393 rhinos had been killed in the country‚ with 290 of these occurring in the Kruger. Between January and April‚ there were 900 “incursions” into the Kruger by poachers.The park remains popular with wildlife enthusiasts. Statistics released earlier this week show a total number of 1‚659‚793 visitors passed through the gates of the Kruger National Park in the 2014/15 financial year‚ compared to 1‚556‚916 the previous financial year. According to SANParks and the Department of Environmental Affairs‚ 1‚277‚397 were day visitors and 382‚396 were overnight guests...

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