Customs officials at O.R. Tambo International Airport seized over R115-million worth of rhino horn on Tuesday [July 14]. The horns were labelled and disguised as ‘fine art’ according to News24.
Africa’s busiest airport is O.R Tambo International. Image credit: ACSA
Siphiti Sibeko, a spokesperson from South African Revenue Service (SARS) spoke to EWN and said: ‘There is number of criminals and syndicates that are bent on using our airports and killing our rhinos. They are continuing with criminal activities. What we did was to, in some way, close the space for those criminals and syndicates.’
The cargo was en route to Kuala Lumpur via Doha when it was intercepted. Officials were conducting a routine inspection of the airport’s warehouse.
Despite having no medical or health benefits, rhino horn is used to ‘treat’ various ailments in traditional eastern medicine.
Rhino horn is predominantly made up of keratin, the same protein found in human fingernails and hair.
Image credit: Unsplash
