A 46-year-old bank employee was arrested on Thursday, on charges related to rhino poaching.
The Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation (SCI) in Nelspruit, said they were assisted by the Serious Corruption Investigation unit based in Pretoria, to arrest the man.
His arrest is part of Operation Billfish, a wildlife trafficking investigation in the area.
The police said in a statement, the investigation relates to an integrated operation conducted on 12 June 2018 in the Hazyview and Nelspruit, where a suspected rhino horn trafficking syndicate was targeted.
One of the suspects, was arrested for allegedly dealing in rhino horns together with two other syndicate members.
During the operation, law enforcement officers seized the suspect’s cellphone, which was subjected to forensic analysis.
Further investigations allegedly uncovered that the suspect shared a photograph of a subpoena served on the bank by a financial analyst attached to the Priority Crime Specialised Investigation (PCMC).
It is further alleged that after sharing the subpoena, the suspect communicated with Mabuza regarding funds held in the account under investigation.
Subsequent to these communications, an amount of approximately R1.1 million was allegedly transferred from the account under scrutiny to another private account.
Picture: Supplied