They were arrested by members of the Hawks’ wildlife trafficking unit and Nelspruit police crime intelligence after information was received of two individuals who were allegedly in possession of elephant tusks.
“The joint team immediately acted on the information and conducted a search a seizure operation at the suspects' premises, which resulted in the seizure of six elephant tusks and five illegal firearms that were concealed inside a trailer,” said Hawks spokesperson Capt Dineo Lucy Sekgotodi.
Cox and Elvis will appear in court again on Friday to apply for bail.
“Investigations are under way to determine the origin of the tusks and the confiscated firearms ... if they were used in the commission of any crime,” said Sekgotodi.
Two arrested as elephant tusks, guns seized in Mpumalanga
Image: SAPS
Police in Mpumalanga have arrested two men for the illegal possession of six elephant tusks and five illegal firearms.
Johan Cox, 41, and Hendrick Bernardus Elvis, 32, appeared in the Nelspruit magistrate's court on Thursday after their arrest at Sunriseview in Nelspruit on Wednesday.
Image: Supplied
They were arrested by members of the Hawks’ wildlife trafficking unit and Nelspruit police crime intelligence after information was received of two individuals who were allegedly in possession of elephant tusks.
“The joint team immediately acted on the information and conducted a search a seizure operation at the suspects' premises, which resulted in the seizure of six elephant tusks and five illegal firearms that were concealed inside a trailer,” said Hawks spokesperson Capt Dineo Lucy Sekgotodi.
Cox and Elvis will appear in court again on Friday to apply for bail.
“Investigations are under way to determine the origin of the tusks and the confiscated firearms ... if they were used in the commission of any crime,” said Sekgotodi.
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