LION claws and teeth, as well as a rhino horn, were discovered in a package en route to Nigeria from OR Tambo International Airport on Monday.
According to SAPS spokesperson Brig Vishnu Naidoo, customs officials who searched the parcel found it contained a rhino horn, 51 lion’s claws and 19 lion’s teeth.
The parcel was handed over to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) for further investigation.
Branded counterfeit goods with an estimated street value of R2.8-million were also seized during gate checks.
Naidoo said a truck belonging to Swiss aviation services company Swissport was inspected by the police and SA Revenue Services. The truck had a cargo of boxes containing Nike sneakers.
“The driver allegedly abandoned the truck and fled on foot,” Naidoo said. “The goods, which were falsely declared as printed matter, and the truck, were confiscated.”
