Four suspects, aged between 43 and 59, were arrested by the North West police on 02 June 2023 for being in possession of a pangolin.
According to the statement released by Captain Tlangelani Rikhotso, the suspects were reportedly on their way from Vryburg to Mahikeng to meet a buyer willing to pay R60 000 for the endangered species.
“The arrest was made due to a joint operation conducted by the Hawks' Serious Organised Crime Investigation and the South African Police's tactical response team. Along Vryburg Road, the officials stopped the suspects and inspected the vehicle they were travelling in. Upon opening the trunk, they discovered a bag containing the pangolin. The vehicle was seized for further investigation, and the pangolin was handed over to the Nature Conservation Authorities, “said Captain Rikhotso.
The suspects appeared in the Mmabatho Magistrate's Court on 05 June 2023, facing charges of contravening the National Environmental Management Biodiversity Act 10 of 2004.
In a separate incident on Wednesday, 31 May 2023, the Hawks arrested four additional suspects, aged between 29 and 45, in Mahikeng. They were apprehended after attempting to sell two pangolins for R200,000. Acting on information about the suspects' search for potential buyers, the law enforcement team cornered them at Mahikeng Mall, where they were found possessing the endangered species.
The quartet appeared in the Molopo Magistrate's Court on Thursday, 1 June, where they were charged with contravening the National Environmental Management Biodiversity Act 10 of 2004.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Henry Mamothame, the four suspects will remain in police custody until their next court appearance. Investigations are still ongoing to gather more information about the matter.
Pangolins have sadly earned the dubious distinction of being the most illegally trafficked animal in the world. They are hunted for their scales, which are highly sought after in Asian markets for use in traditional medicine. Like rhino horns, pangolin scales are composed of keratin, the same substance in human toenails.
Pangolins, also known as scaly anteaters due to their plated armour, long tongues, and preferred diet, are uniquely classified in the Pholidota animal kingdom. Despite occasional comparisons to anteaters and armadillos, pangolins have no taxonomic relationship with these animals. About the size of a small cat, they are covered in scales that start soft and harden with age. When threatened, pangolins curl into a spiky ball, using their armour-like scales as a defence mechanism. This mechanism has successfully protected them from natural predators for millions of years, but it is proving ineffective against humans, who can easily pick up vulnerable pangolins.
