Two suspects appear in court for possession of elephant tusks

Two men have appeared in the Klerksdorp Magistrate’s Court for the alleged possession of suspected stolen elephant tusks.

The two suspects Douglas Matambandini (46) and Mmoloki Moseki (49), who were arrested during a crime intelligence operation conducted on Wednesday, will remain in custody until their next court appearance on November 16 2018 for a formal bail application.

Police said that information had been received that the suspects  were on their way to Klerksdorp and members of Organised Crime and the Tactical Response Team in Klerksdorp had stopped and searched a Toyota bakkie.  

They found six elephant tusks, which were hidden underneath maize bags. The six tusks weighed 112.7kg with a total value of R676,000, police said.

The two suspects were subsequently arrested.

North West provincial police commissioner Lieutenant-General Baile Motswenyane commended the team for their dedication and hard work.

She requested the community to report any suspicious activities or information to the police, adding that information used proactively could prevent crime and assist the police with crime investigations.