The SA Police Service (SAPS) have arrested a Vietnamese alleged wildlife trafficker and his associate for attempting to sell lions illegally.
They were acting on intelligence from the Hague-based Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC), which led to the arrest of Nguyen Huu Tao, 53, and Nico Scoltz, 32. The WJC, which works to disrupt criminal networks, deterring transnational organised wildlife crime, described the arrest as a “significant blow to wildlife trafficking”.
During a joint operation by the police and the WJC, Nguyen offered to sell six lions to undercover operatives and introduced his associate Scoltz, who took them to a farm in Free State where the lions were kept.
After the transaction, the SAPS, together with other law-enforcement units, arrested the two suspects in North West on 5 July and seized their vehicle, a firearm and 50 rounds of ammunition.
Nguyen and Scoltz have been charged with contravention of the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act, conspiracy to commit an offence and unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition. The two have been remanded in custody pending their first appearance in court.
“I want to extend my heartfelt congratulations to SAPS on this significant arrest and my appreciation for their cooperation with the Wildlife Justice Commission,” said Olivia Swaak-Goldman, its executive director, in a statement.
“It is an important result as South Africa moves towards closing down commercial lion farms and taking action against criminal activities connected to these facilities.”
Lions are listed as vulnerable on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species. South Africa is home to the world’s largest captive lion population, estimated to be around 8 000 individuals.
A Roadmap to Closing Captive Tiger Facilities of Concern was developed last year by a group of non-governmental organisations with expertise in wildlife conservation, animal welfare, illegal wildlife trade and captive wildlife care and management, including the WJC.
The roadmap’s recommendations “are also applicable to captive lion facilities” and can guide the phasing out of such facilities in South Africa, the WJC said.