Roadside bust: Duo caught selling rhino horn in Benoni

Benoni K9 officers have foiled an illegal sale of a rhino horn.

Two suspects aged 38 and 39 were arrested.

They were trying to sell the horn along the roadside on Lionel Street, Benoni, east of Johannesburg.

Police seized the horn, valued at R80,000, as well as the Mercedes-Benz vehicle they were using.

This is the latest in a string of attempted illegal horn sales.

Two weeks ago, the Hawks arrested two men attempting to sell rhino horn from a beachfront restaurant in Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth).

A month ago, the SA Revenue Service (Sars) customs unit uncovered a large shipment of rhino horn worth R53m and destined for Malaysia during a bust at OR Tambo International Airport.

A total of 394 rhino were last year poached for their horn in SA.

TimesLIVE