Pixabay
A 37-year-old man is expected to appear in the Krugersdorp Magistrate’s Court on Monday for illegal possession of lion bones worth approximately R2.3 million.
Several roleplayers including the Police, Hawks, Johannesburg Metro Police Department, the K9 Unit and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development conducted a sting operation on Friday which resulted in the arrest.
Captain Ndivhuwo Mulamu says they received information about a man who kept lion bones at his premises in Wentworth Park, without valid permits and when police members arrived on the scene they found a large number of lion bones in the garage, packaged in boxes.
He says they established that the packed boxes of lion bones were due to be exported to unknown destinations.
Captain Mulamu says a further investigation revealed that the suspect did have permits to possess lion bones for exportation but that they expired in 2016 and in 2020.
The suspect will be charged for contravening the National Environmental Management Biodiversity Act.
Operation conducted at Wentworth Park Krugersdorp: property searched and Lion bones recovered. 27 different lions were killed: value R2.3 million. One man arrested. pic.twitter.com/C3JbwAFgE6
— Yusuf Abramjee (@Abramjee) February 27, 2021
