Thai 'Rhino Horn Dealer' Arrested In South Africa

[webfact]

Thai 'rhino horn dealer' arrested in South Africa

JOHANNESBURG, July 12, 2011 (AFP) - South African police have arrested a Thai national accused of organising rhinoceros hunts to sell the animals' horns on the international black market, officials said Monday.

The man, 43-year-old Chumlong Lemtongthai, was arrested at his house in Edenvale, east of Johannesburg at the weekend and is due to appear in court Monday for allegedly organising rhino poaching expeditions masked as legal trophy hunts, said the South African Revenue Service (SARS).

The tax authority says Lemtongthai would obtain trophy hunting permits, a limited number of which are issued each year, then buy the rhinos' horns from the hunters for an average 65,000 rand ($9,600, 6,800 euros) per kilogramme and send them overseas.

SARS spokesman Anton Fisher called Lemtongthai a "leading figure" in the international rhino horn trade.

"He's quite extensively involved at a very high level," Fisher told AFP.

Booming demand for rhino horn on the Asian black market has been driving a poaching surge in South Africa, home to more than 70 percent of the world's remaining rhino population.

South African national parks officials say rhino poaching has risen from 13 cases in 2007 to a record 333 last year. And the pace continues to increase -- nearly 200 rhinos were killed in the first half of 2011, according to environmental group WWF.

Rhino horn powder is used as a fever-reducer in traditional Chinese medicine. Researchers say the recent surge in poaching is driven by the emergence in Vietnam of a belief that the animals' horns can cure cancer.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2011-07-12

[ginjag]

This Thai person ought to be made to go on safari, walk up to a RHINO and try holding it's head and attempt to saw off it's horn.

These people are some of the sicko's of this world. He should have his (( horn removed)):jerk:

[Britannia]

Taksin is behind this

[lannarebirth]

Taksin is behind this

Probably trying to get a position in rhino horn to add to the new "sovereign wealth fund", to go along with his Blood Diamonds/Gold suggestions.

[rotary]

Perhaps he is just a local tour guy branching out to foreign lands!

[brownknees]

Shame Rhinos horns cannot be injected with something that makes them useless to anyone,Weird people that think Rhino horn or tiger penis can make you more virile,have they not heard of Viagra!!!

[ginjag]

Shame Rhinos horns cannot be injected with something that makes them useless to anyone,Weird people that think Rhino horn or tiger penis can make you more virile,have they not heard of Viagra!!!

Do they do rhino horn transplants, would be better than Viagra, but then it would be embarrassing shopping

[Philro62]

I left South Africa 6 years ago for Thailand. My brother is a professional hunter and what i do know is that a foreigner will not be easily issued a permit for trophy hunting. Game farmers who cater for overseas hunters are the guys that are issued. Sure this Thai guy was in it with a local.

AND,,,,,,said with respect and caution,,,,,this Thai guy most probably did the local in with money or with a deal(what's new?). And he lives in Edenvale? LOL,,,,,the mecca for Thai bar ladies working in SA and where plenty of s...t goes down between the Thai's.

I rest my case...............

[Grove]

I left South Africa 6 years ago for Thailand. My brother is a professional hunter and what i do know is that a foreigner will not be easily issued a permit for trophy hunting. Game farmers who cater for overseas hunters are the guys that are issued. Sure this Thai guy was in it with a local.

AND,,,,,,said with respect and caution,,,,,this Thai guy most probably did the local in with money or with a deal(what's new?). And he lives in Edenvale? LOL,,,,,the mecca for Thai bar ladies working in SA and where plenty of s...t goes down between the Thai's.

I rest my case...............

You got it spot on. I had my own gamefarm in South Africa for 22 years, been a hunting outfitter for 16 and never heard of a permit issued to a Thai as this will raise a lot of questions as to why he wants to hunt a Rhino or obtain the Horn. All horns for exsport through a legal hunted permit gets microcipped, so mabe a bad decission to try and exsport from SA. No 2, is what does SARS have to do with this isue as they only collect tax on what the farmer's income is for hunting a Rhino.

Talking about Edenvale, yes im stuck here because I am still trying to get ridd of one of those girls and her family.

I just love this place and their culture.