Two suspects‚ one of them a 22-year-old police constable‚ were arrested near Pongola in KwaZulu-Natal during the early hours of Tuesday on suspicion of being involved in rhino poaching‚ police said.
“A team comprising of members of the South African Police Service’s Rhino Poaching Project Team‚ the Kruger National Park authorities and Ezemvelo Wildlife responded to intelligence of possible rhino poachers heading towards one of the national parks.
“The team stopped a sedan‚ belonging to the policeman‚ on the N2 within the Pongola area and found two men in possession of a R1 rifle‚ a silencer‚ several rounds of ammunition‚ axes and knives. The weapons as well as the sedan have been confiscated‚” said police spokesman Brigadier Vishnu Naidoo.
He added that the R1 rifle was reported stolen in Pretoria West in November 1996.
“Both suspects were arrested and they are expected to appear in the Pongola Magistrate’s Court tomorrow on charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition‚” Naidoo said.
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