NParks helps South African police seize rhino horns, 2 men arrested
Singapore’s National Parks Board (NParks) has assisted South African authorities in the seizure of a large shipment of illegal wildlife products, including 55.4kg of rhinoceros horns, in Johannesburg.
The cross-border operation, conducted on 1 Dec 2025, resulted in the arrest of two Nigerian men, according to NParks in a Facebook post on Tuesday (30 Dec).
Source: NParks on Facebook
Shipment previously transited through Singapore
NParks said it was first alerted on 11 Nov 2025 to a suspicious shipment originating from South Africa that was transiting through Singapore Changi Airport.
The shipment bore similarities to another consignment seized by NParks in Singapore on 8 Nov 2025, which contained 35.7kg of rhinoceros horns and 150kg of other animal parts.
Source: NParks on Facebook
After examining the shipment, NParks coordinated with South Africa’s Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) to arrange for its controlled return to South Africa to support investigations in the source country.
Wildlife parts traced to storage facility in Johannesburg
Following the shipment’s return, DPCI’s Serious Organised Crime Investigation’s Wildlife Trafficking Unit, with support from other partners, traced it to a storage facility in Johannesburg.
Source: NParks on Facebook
There, officers discovered four boxes containing 17 rhinoceros horns, along with 26.2kg of lion and tiger bones, including skulls and claws.
Source: NParks on Facebook
Forensic analysis confirms animal species
NParks’ Centre for Wildlife Forensics conducted molecular analysis and confirmed that the animal parts seized in Singapore on 8 Nov were from lions and tigers, consistent with findings made in South Africa.
NParks said investigations are ongoing to determine whether the Singapore seizure is linked to the recent Johannesburg case.
Source: NParks on Facebook
NParks highlighted that the operation demonstrates the importance of international cooperation in tackling transnational wildlife crime.
It added that targeting criminal networks at the source can “yield more significant long-term results than isolated seizures”.
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Featured image adapted from NParks on Facebook.
