12 Rhino Poachers Arrested

According to reports from South Africa, twelve people who are believed to be kingpins of a Rhino poaching syndicate, has been arrested.

The twelve people were arrested on Tuesday and Wednesday and done under the codename ‘Operation Ringleader’. The operation was carried out by South Africa’s Crime Intelligence, the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, the SAPS Forensic Science Laboratory as well as the National Prosecuting Authority.

Spokesperson for the Hawks – South Africa’s crime intelligence – Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi, said that they had been working on this operation for two years:

“…[sic] The high flying group has been [the] subject of an investigation since 2013 and is alleged to have contributed to the illegal poaching of rhinos and illicit dealing of rhino horns in Klerksdorp, Rustenburg, Pretoria and Johannesburg,” he said.