Northern Cape police have arrested three men after intercepting a vehicle transporting a rhino horn on the N14 road outside Upington on Thursday, 04 December 2025.
The operation was initiated after members of the ZF Mgcawu District’s Highway Patrol and Task Team received intelligence about a vehicle allegedly carrying a rhino horn and en route to Upington. Authorities successfully located and stopped the suspected vehicle before it could reach the town.
Upon searching the car, police discovered a rhino horn, a pistol, and ammunition. The three male occupants, aged 42, 47, and 48 respectively, could not provide a lawful account for the possession of these items.
All three suspects were immediately placed under arrest. The vehicle believed to have been used in the commission of the crime was also impounded by the police.
The trio is expected to appear in the Upington Magistrate’s Court in the coming days. They are facing a series of serious charges, including rhino poaching and the illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.