Thieves steal rhino horns worth millions
By TMG Editor - 22 April 2014
ABOUT 40 rhino horns worth millions of rands have been stolen from the safe of a state tourism organisation.
The horns – which are highly prized in some forms of traditional medicine and on the Asian market – were taken from the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) at the weekend, the Lowvelder newspaper reported yesterday.
"The culprit, or culprits, cut open two steel safes fitted with double locks," an agency source said.
Dex Kotze, conservationist and chief executive of jeweller Jenna Clifford, which backs the campaign against poaching, said the haul could be worth as much as R175-million.
Neither the MTPA nor the police could be reached for comment yesterday, a public holiday. – AFP
