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Police in Namakgale have arrested a 35-year-old Mozambican national after he was found in possession of a fresh rhino horn on Tuesday night.

Police were acting on a tip-off which alerted them of a vehicle which had transported poachers to game reserve in the Phalaborwa area. A mini roadblock was conducted and the driver was busted shortly after offloading the poachers. The arrested driver cooperated with the police, and upon receiving a call from his accomplices that the mission had been accomplished, he was accompanied by the police to meet them.

The police then pounced on the 35-year-old suspect in the bushes between Micah and Namakgale. Two suspects managed to escape due to darkness and the search for them is underway.

Police found a fresh rhino horn, a 375 Magnum rifle with live ammunition and an axe. It is not yet established from which game reserve the rhino was killed and its carcass has not yet been found.

The driver and the suspected rhino poacher will appear in the Phalaborwa Magistrates’ court on Thursday, facing charges of being an accomplice in a crime and possession of rhino horn and unlicensed firearm and ammunition respectively.