Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment.A parcel containing a venomous cobra and lizards was confiscated after a smuggling attempt through a PostNet in Pretoria was thwarted by the Green Scorpions.
The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment's environmental management inspectors or Green Scorpions, last week confiscated the parcel containing a snouted cobra , Sungazer lizards, another type of girdled lizard and two indigenous skinks.Two men – Barend Johan Coetzee and Zander Aylward - were arrested on charges of the illegal possession, transport and trade of species listed in terms of the Threatened or Protected Species regulations.
"Following the arrest of the men at the PostNet branch in Pretoria, their home was searched by the Green Scorpions, supported by SAPS K9 unit," a statement from the DFFE indicated.The reptiles include African bullfrogs and an African rock python, which are on the Threatened or Protected Species List.Supplied Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment
The accused appeared in the Cullinan District Court on 10 February 2023, and they have been released on bail. The matter is postponed to 30 March 2023.In times of uncertainty you need journalism you can trust. For 14 free days, you can have access to a world of in-depth analyses, investigative journalism, top opinions and a range of features. Journalism strengthens democracy. Invest in the future today. Thereafter you will be billed R75 per month.