South Africa's 'Rhino Baron' arrested linked to horn trafficking
John Hume bred the world's largest rhino herd; but the illegalisation of horn trading hit him hard
South Africa’s “Rhino Baron” has been arrested and is facing more than 50 criminal charges in relation to an alleged rhino horn trafficking syndicate.
John Hume bred the world’s largest rhino herd, comprising more than 2,000 animals. His plan had been to sell their horns legally to traders in Asia, but after international trade was made illegal he was faced with ruin.
The 83-year-old, along with five others, has been bailed by a court in South Africa. One of his alleged co-conspirators has previously been charged with forging a document to authorise the transport of rhino horns. They have been accused of obtaining local trading permits for the horns, “while intending to channel the horns into illegal markets” overseas, according to prosecutors.
Rhino horns are prized in parts of Asia and used as medicine for hangovers, or even cancer. Rhinos are frequently poached for their horns in Africa, and Hume had claimed that his ranch could “serve as a safety net” for their dwindling population.
Cathy Dean, grants lead at the organisation Save the Rhino, said the arrests mark a “critical juncture” in the fight against the illegal horn trade. “Every horn trafficked represents not only a threat to rhinos and the ecosystems they call home, but also fuels wider organised crime, exploiting people and communities throughout the chain of criminal activity,” she added.
You can read a full account of the case in the Daily Maverick.
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