The suspects were caught while allegedly trying to sell the endangered mammal, authorities said
Four suspects are expected to appear in the Welkom Magistrate’s Court in South Africa’s Free State province, following their arrest for attempting to sell an endangered pangolin for R80,000 ($5,000).
The suspects, aged between 47 and 62, face charges of contravening the National Environmental Management Biodiversity Act 10 of 2004 and the Animals Protection Act 71 of 1962.
A pangolin is a solitary, nocturnal mammal easily recognised by the tough, overlapping keratin scales that cover its body.
Pangolins are considered the world’s most heavily trafficked wild mammals. They are poached for their meat and scales, which are highly sought after on the black market for use in traditional medicine, pushing the species toward extinction.
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The provincial spokesperson for the Hawks, Lieutenant Colonel Zweli Mohobeleli, said members of the Serious Organised Crime Investigation team and Welkom’s Anti-Gang Unit reacted to intelligence about a group of suspects selling pangolins.
”On June 4, 2026, the information was operationalised. Four suspects driving in a blue Toyota Quest were caught red-handed trying to sell one pangolin for R80,000. They were immediately placed under arrest, and the pangolin was handed over to authorities for safekeeping,” Mohobeleli said.
Head of the Hawks in the Free State, Major General Mokgadi Bokaba, commended the officers for the swift arrest of the poachers and ensuring that the endangered species do not face total extinction.
First published by IOL
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