1. “Rhino Poaching: A new
Form of Organised Crime”
20 March 2013
Prof: Moses
Montesh
Department of
Police
Practice

2. Please take note………………
This research project was funded by the College of
Law Research and Innovation Committee (CRIC).
Field work was conducted in Maputo, Gaza and
Inhambane Provinces in Mozambique as well as the
Kruger National Park

3. PRESENTATION LAYOUT
◈ INTRODUCTION
◈ DEFINITION
◈ METHODOLOGY
◈ BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
◈ THE EXTENT OF RHINO POACHING IN RSA
◈ THE LINK BETWEEN RHINO POACHING AND ORGANISED CRIME
◈ RHINO HORN CONSUMERS
◈ SOUTH AFRICAN GOVERNMENT’S RESPONSE TO THE CRISIS
◈ ADDITIONAL STRATEGIES
◈ RECOMMENDATIONS
◈ CONCLUSION

4. INTRODUCTION
The recent increase in rhino poaching in South Africa
is largely due to heightened demand for rhino horn,
which has long been prized as an ingredient in
traditional Asian medicine although this has been
denied recently by both China and Vietnam. Since
2000, the number of rhino poaching incidents has
been increasing. Although a number of efforts and
strategies have been implemented by the South
African government, the problem is far from over.

5. DEFINITION

6. Methodology
A qualitative approach was followed in this project. Although literature
study formed the basis of this study, unstructured as well as focus
groups interviews were conducted with the representatives of the
following institutions: Members of the Mozambican Police;
Mozambican Game Rangers; Representatives from Mozambique
Ministry of Home Affairs; Community members from (from Maputo,
Gaza and Inhambane provinces) in Mozambique; Representatives
from South African Department of Environmental Affairs;
Representatives from Commercial Crimes Unit of the National
Prosecuting Authority; Game Rangers stationed at Kruger National
Park; Task team members from the South African Police Service
stationed at Kruger National Park; Task Team members from the South
African National Defence Force stationed at Kruger National Park

7. WARNING!!!!
This presentation contain images which
might not be suitable to sensitive viewers.
Please accept my apology!!!!!

8. Image placehoder
Believe in yourself … and surprise others
The recent increase in rhino
poaching in South Africa is
largely due to heightened
demand for rhino horn,
which has long been prized
as an ingredient in
traditional Asian medicine
although this has been
denied recently by both
China and Vietnam.

9. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
sdi

10. Background of the study (Cont….)
1948:The United Nations recognised
the struggle of the South African
people, calling for the establishment of
a democratic state with full civil and
political rights as enshrined in the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
It also condemned the "racist regime"
in South Africa for its repression against
opponents of apartheid, killing
demonstrators, holding of political
prisoners and defiance of Security
Council and General Assembly
resolutions.
UN Resolutions adopted:
(sanctions/arms embargo
 Resolution 418: 1977
 Resolution 421: 1977
 Resolution 473: 1980
 Resolution 591, adopted
unanimously on 28 November
1986.
 The embargo was lifted by
Resolution 919 following
democratic elections in 1994.

11. Background of the study (Cont…)
◊ Internal conflict
◊ The Namibian war
◊ The Angolan war
◊ The Mozambican war
◊ The Zimbabwean war
As a result of arms embargo
as well as South Africa’s
involvement in external affairs
- South Africa did not have
enough resources to fight all
these wars. One way or the
other, South Africa was forced
to turn to other
sources/methods in order to
finance the war.

12. Background (Cont…)

13. Background (Cont…)

14. Background (Cont…)
By the time Dr Jonas
Savimbi died in 2002, it
was estimated that he
had accumulated
between $500 - $800
Millions from blood
diamonds. This money
was largely paid by De
Beers mining
corporation

15. Background (Cont…)

16. Background (Cont…)
 By late 1980’, information
started to trickle out that the
SADF was involved in the
slaughtering of about 100
000 elephants to sponsor
war in Mozambique, Angola
and Namibia. The tusks
and Rhinos horns were
transported from South
Africa to Namibia, Angola,
Burundi, and Zaire (DRC)
enroute to Europe

17. Background (Cont…)
 1976 -1980: Frama Inter –
Trading Company was
established by the SADF as
a front company operated
by Maia based in Rundu
(Namibia) and Lopes
“Lobbs” who was based in
Johannesburg. This was
trucking business
transporting “timber” but in
fact they were transporting
elephant tusks and rhino
horns”
 1988: Colonel Jan Breytenbach
blew a whistle which led to the
establishment of the “Roos
Inquiry” by the SADF.
Surprisingly, the Inquiry made the
findings: ““there was no evidence to
prove that the defence force was
responsible for or involved in the
killing of elephants. However, small
quantities of ivory captured by
UNITA from poachers and others in
Angola were transported by the
Defence Force on behalf of UNITA
over an 18-month period from mid-
1978 to the end of 1979”.

18. Background (Cont…)
 1994: Justice M E Kumleben was
appointed in terms of Regulation
Gazette No. 5408, 7 October 1994 to
inquire into, consider and report on-
(a) the alleged smuggling of ivory
and rhino horn, particularly of
Angolan and Mozambican origin, to
and through South Africa over the
past ten years; (b) the involvement of
South African citizens in such
smuggling activities; (c) the illegal
trade in ivory and rhino horn of South
African origin; to make
recommendations regarding steps to
be taken to prevent such
irregularities.
 The Commission found substantial
proof of SADF involvement in the
ivory trade through a front
company, Frama Inter-Trading,
which was later supposedly
privatised. The commission heard
how the SADF had provided covert
vehicles to transport ivory and rhino
horns from the Angolan border to a
Veterinary Services quarantine
station at Rundu in Namibia.

19. The Kumleben report

20. THE EXTENT OF POACHING IN SA
Rhinos killed so far
For 3 decades as successive waves of
rhino carnage struck other rhino range
States across Africa, for the most part,
South Africa, together with Namibia
and Zimbabwe, remained unaffected.
Following independence in 1980, the
situation changed in Zimbabwe and
serious rhino poaching, especially in the
Zambezi Valley, progressively
threatened the country’s rhinos.
Around 2000, the Viet Namese invasion
began…..
Statistics
◊ 2010: 333
◊ 2011: 448
◊ 2012: 668
◊ 2013: 146
Arrests
◈ 2013: 26
◈ 2012:73
◈ 2011: 82
◈ 2010: 67

21. Methods of rhino poaching (Modus Operandi

22. Modus operandi …

23. Methods of rhino poaching (Cont…)
Other forms of
poaching methods:
 Snares
 Box traps
 Pit falls/traps
 Trap nets
 Poison
 Darting

24. Methods of rhino poaching (Cont…)

25. Methods of poaching

26. THE LINK BETWEEN RHINO POACHING AND
ORGANISED CRIME
• The criminal syndicates
(local & international)
• The involvement of National
& Provincial Conservation
officials
• The involvement of wildlife
industry officials
• National middleman dealers
• Illegal export of rhino horn
• The value of rhino horn
Level5
International
Consumer/Buyer
Level 4
International
Couriers/
Buyers/Exporter
Level 3
National
Couriers/Buyers/Exporters
Level 2
Local
Poaching groups/Couriers and Buyers
LEVEL 1
Protected Area/Private Land
Poaching Individuals and Groups

27. The role of Mozambicans in rhino poaching

28. The role of Mozambicans in rhino poaching
(Cont…)
 1975: Civil war begin
 1992: Peace deal;
Demobilization of ex-
combatants
 1994: First Multi Party
Elections; Poverty is still a
problem
 Unaccounted of weapons
 Militias
 Bush vs bush
 Poaching = hunting

29. RHINO HORN CONSUMERS (VIET NAM)
◊ Terminally ill patients
(Cancer patients)
◊ Habitual users (Middle
age men – detoxifying beverage
–very obsessive)
◊ Protective young (mothers
(Affluent young mothers – cure
fever in children)
◊ Elite gift givers (high value,
status conferring gift, used for
corruption)
Myth: Rhino horn is
classified as a “heat-
clearing”; powerful
aphrodisiac drug with
detoxifying properties. It
is also regarded as a
drug that can cure
cancer, alcohol
hangover. It is part and
parcel of Viet culture.

30. SOUTH AFRICA’S RESPONSE TO THE
CRISIS
 Established a National
Strategy for the Safety and
Security of Rhinoceros
Populations and Horn Stocks
in South Africa designed to
combat the increasing
poaching threat.
 Established an Integrated
Information System
 Signed an MoU with Viet
Nam government
 National Wildlife Crime Reaction Unit
(DEA)
 SAPS (DPCI)
 National Joints Committee
 National and provincial nature
conservation officials
 Deploy members of the South African
National Defence Force at the KNP
 Beef up security at ports of entry and
exit (scanners at airports)
 Established a SADC Rhino Management
Group
 National Prosecuting Authority
 Rhino and Elephant Security
Group/INTERPOL Environmental Crime
Working Group

31. South Africa’s response….
Legislative framework
 National Parks Act 56 of 1976.
 Animal Protection Act 71 of 1962.
 The Game Theft Act 101 of 1991.
 NEMA: Protected Areas Act 57 of
2003. (National Environmental
Management Act)
 NEMA: Biodiversity Act 10 of 2004.
 POCA Act 121 of 1998
Challenges
 No piece of legislation
specifically deal with
poaching.
 Poaching or rhino
poaching is handled in a
very scattered fashion.
 Current legislation is
difficult to enforce .

32. RECOMMENDATIONS
 Legalize commercial
trade
 Reduce black market
 Use stockpiles
 Dehorned horns
 Demands for rhino horns
will be met
 Will not eliminate rhino
poaching completely
 (prostitution, diamond and
gold dealings)
 Do not commercialize
 Proponents believe that
sustainable utilization of
wildlife is inherently
wrong
 Do not interfere with
wildlife for financial
benefits

33. Security measures
 Perimeter security
 Increase the number of roving
vehicle patrols
 Increase undercover vehicle
patrols
 Beef up access control
 Intelligence gathering
 Improve reward system and
informer handling procedures
 Beef up counterintelligence
 Planning of anti-poaching
operations
Planning of anti-poaching operations
should be carried out by experienced
team leaders/ commanders.
Intelligence gained can increase
chances of successful operations
against poachers. Topographical maps
are very useful in planning and
executing successful anti- poaching
operations as terrain, roads, game
paths, waterholes, rivers, bridges, cell-
phone towers, and food caches can be
plotted.

34. Other recommendations
 Crime scene analysis training to
law enforcement agents – this
will assist in connecting the dots
 Where ever possible photographic
evidence should be obtained. Any
evidence found on the scene such as
cartridge cases, pangas, axes,
clothing, cartridges, magazines,
clear imprints of tracks, and of
course pictures of poached rhino,
bullet entry and exit wounds must
be be photographed
Dehorning
 Only in very high risk situations
where rhino populations are very
exposed to large local populations of
people and adequate security is not
affordable should private rhino
owners dehorn their rhino, but this
is no deterrent and some form of
security should be negotiated, with
local police and farmer block-watch
groups.

35. Dehorning (Cont…)

36. • The SADF has been using UAV’s
since 1983 (supporting UNITA)
• (1)SEEKER II + (2) SEEKER 400
The role of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (Dones)
(3) High speed target drone
(4) Hungwe

37. The role of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (Cont…)
Operational Centre The Tactical Ground Station

38. The role of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (Cont…)
 An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV),
commonly known as a drone is an
aircraft without a human pilot on
board. Its flight is either controlled
autonomously by computers in the
vehicle, or under the remote control
of a pilot on the ground or in
another vehicle. They are
predominantly deployed for military
applications, but also used in a small
but growing number of civil
applications, such as firefighting and
nonmilitary security work, such as
surveillance of pipelines.
• UAVs typically fall into one of six
functional categories (although multi-
role airframe platforms are becoming
more prevalent):
 Target and decoy
 Reconnaissance
 Research & development
 Combat – providing attack capability
 Logistics
 UAVs specifically designed for civil
and commercial applications fitted
with a Lightweight Multirole Missile.

39. The role of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (Cont…)
 Criticism of against the
use of UAVs
• There has been much
international criticism of
the use of armed UAVs,
particularly by America in
Afghanistan, Pakistan and
elsewhere.
• Based on figures collated
by the Bureau of
Investigative Journalism,
it estimated between
2,562 and 3,325 people
were killed in drone
strikes in Pakistan
between June 2004 and
mid-September 2012, of
whom 474 to 881 were
civilians.

40. Strengths and weaknesses of UAVs
Strengths
 Good for dull, dirty dangerous tasks
 Operations can be conducted without risk to
aircrew
 Can be cheaper (caution – through life costs
need to be considered)
 Availability - unmanned aircraft can support
tactical activity where manned assets would
not be available
 Small/medium scale can provide immediate,
tactical situational awareness (in uncontested
airspace)
 Very good at intelligence, surveillance and
reconnaissance and attack missions (in
uncontested airspace)
Weaknesses
 Lack of small, tailored weapons
 Lack of long air carriage life
weapons
 Vulnerable to cyber and
communications link attack
 Legal, ethical, moral thinking needs
further development
 Current systems are not built to
airworthy standards – costs will rise
as these are enforced
 Poor penetration

41. Is there a nexus between rhino
poaching and organized crime?

42. On a lighter note, lets have some fun (Cecilia
from France)

43. Challenges …..
• KNP has 650 Rangers
• KNP is the same size
as Sweden
• Sweden has
…….Police officials

44. Challenges (Cont…)
The policing of ports of
entry (use of scanners)
The policing of role-
players such Safari
Operators; Taxidermy;
professional hunters
Private Game vs
National Parks
Changing mindset of
people in Viet Nam
Gang assassination
(there are +- 15
Mozambican gangs
operating at Kruger
National Park)
The availability of fake
rhino horns (this is very
common in
Mussina/Beit Bridge)

45. Fun… (Tropic of Capricorn, Mopani Rest Camp)

46. CONCLUSION
Fellow South
Africans, we need
to join hands and
fight Rhino
poaching. These
beautiful creatures
need our protection.
ACT NOW!!!!!!