South African Rhino Breeder Charged in $14 Million Smuggling Scheme

South African prosecutors have charged prominent rhino breeder John Hume and five accomplices with operating a global rhino horn smuggling network, valued at approximately $14.1 million. The accusations stem from a seven-year investigation that uncovered a scheme involving 964 rhino horns being funneled from South Africa into illegal markets in Southeast Asia.

Hume, aged 83, owns one of the world’s largest rhino herds at his ranch in Johannesburg. He and his co-defendants, who include a lawyer, an insurance broker, and a game reserve manager, voluntarily surrendered to authorities on Tuesday. Following their arrest, the Pretoria magistrates court granted Hume a bail amount of $5,000, with conditions that require him and the others to surrender their passports. The group is scheduled to appear in court again on December 9, 2023.

The investigation by the South African National Prosecuting Authority revealed that the suspects allegedly obtained permits under false pretenses, allowing them to buy and sell rhino horns in the country. While domestic trade of rhino horns is permitted with valid permits, international commercial trade is prohibited under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

Hume is the founder of Rhinos of Buffalo Dream Ranch, a private reserve established in 2009, where he claims to care for over 1,600 rhinos, including more than 1,000 bred on-site. The charges against the six individuals include serious offenses such as racketeering, fraud, theft, and money laundering.

The nation’s Minister of Environment, Dion George, hailed the investigation as a significant demonstration of South Africa’s commitment to protecting its natural heritage. The country continues to combat ongoing challenges related to rhino poaching, with reports indicating that 103 rhinos were killed from January 1 to March 31 of this year alone.

South Africa is home to the largest rhino population in the world, estimated between 16,000 and 18,000. This includes both the white rhino and the critically endangered black rhino. Authorities have increasingly targeted criminal syndicates believed to be responsible for much of the poaching, as the illegal wildlife trade poses a significant threat to these vulnerable species.