Singapore

South African jailed for unlawful transport of rhino horns


A man was promised 20,000 South African rand (about S$1,570) to unlawfully transport 11 pieces of rhinoceros horn from Johannesburg in South Africa to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, a district court heard yesterday.

Thurman Shiraazudin Aiden Matthews was in transit at Singapore’s Changi Airport Terminal 2 in January when he was caught with the horn pieces, which were then seized.

Yesterday, the 45-year-old South African man was sentenced to 17 months’ jail after pleading guilty to an offence under the Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act.

National Parks Board (NParks) prosecutor Wendy Tan told District Judge Adam Nakhoda that at least five white rhinoceroses had been killed to obtain the 11 pieces.

NParks said that the 11 pieces of rhinoceros horn were estimated to be worth at least $760,000. She added that Matthews “did not possess any valid South African Cites (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) export permit for the 11 pieces of cut white rhino horns”.

The court heard that Matthews was in Johannesburg in October last year when he met a Chinese man who offered him an opportunity to earn some “easy money” transporting wildlife products such as rhinoceros horns and lion bones to Vietnam.

Matthews agreed and was introduced to two Chinese women.

Details about the trio were not revealed in court documents.

One of the women contacted Matthews on Dec 30 last year.

  • $760k

    Estimated value of the rhino horns that were seized, according to the National Parks Board (NParks).

    At least five white rhinos had been killed to obtain the horns, said NParks prosecutor Wendy Tan.

He was then told arrangements had been made for him to fly from Johannesburg on Jan 4 and arrive at Ho Chi Minh City the next day.

On the departure date, he collected two suitcases containing the horn pieces. He arrived at Changi Airport Terminal 2 on Jan 5.

A baggage screening officer was studying X-ray images of one of the suitcases at around 7.40am when he spotted several organic items shaped like horns.

The 11 pieces of rhinoceros horn were uncovered inside the suitcases during an examination soon after.

Shaffiq Alkhatib





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