News

South African National Parks (SANParks) today announced the arrest of two suspects who were each found in possession of four unlicenced firearms (eight in total), ammunition and two suppressors at Spelenyane, adjacent to the Kruger National Park (KNP) on 16 December 2024. The calibres of the rifles varied from small calibre to high powered rifles.

The SANParks Environmental Crime Investigative Unit, private security and law enforcement agencies carried out the intelligence driven operation which led to the arrest. It is suspected that the firearms have been involved in the illegal hunting of plains game (bushmeat poaching) and rhino poaching in and around the Kruger National Park. This is a significant success since bushmeat poaching has become a serious problem in the region. The removal of these firearms will hamper poaching operations significantly.

SANParks Ranger Corps and Environmental Crime Investigators as well as the South African Police Service will continue with the campaign to identify illegal firearms and suspects utilising them. The objective is to clean the Park from the outside, and in the past two months, the teams have seized twelve illegal firearms, resulting in the arrest of five suspects.

These successes should also serve as a warning to other active poachers in the region that no stone will be left unturned to identify and trace them.