Rhino horn smugglers are increasingly creative in their attempts to smuggle contraband out of South Africa. However, a recent attempt to conceal rhino horn in a sculpture was thwarted by vigilant officers from the OR Tambo International Airport police.

National police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe says that during their weekly operations, officers discovered 10kg of rhino horn at the cargo shipment warehouse at the airport.

“The men and women in blue were conducting routine operations when they inspected a warehouse and found a suspicious artistic sculpture,” she explains.

Upon inspection, officers ground the sculpture and uncovered four pieces of rhino horn.

“No arrests have been made, and investigations are ongoing to determine the origins of the rhino horn and verify the address in China listed on the shipping label,” she concludes.