Man pleads guilty to smuggling 20 rhino horns worth S$1.2m through S'pore in largest such seizure

SINGAPORE — After accepting an acquaintance's offer of a return flight and some money to smuggle rhinoceros horns from South Africa to Laos, Sthembiso Joel Gumede was nabbed in transit in Singapore with 20 horns worth about S$1.2 million.

It was the biggest such seizure in Singapore to date and includes horns from the critically endangered black rhinoceros, the court heard.

Gumede, a 33-year-old South African, appeared in court on Wednesday (Jan 24) where he pleaded guilty to two charges under the Endangered Species Act.

He will return to court on Jan 26 for sentencing.

The court heard that Gumede was introduced to a man involved in the illegal rhinoceros horn trade called Jaycee Israel Marvatona in South Africa by a mutual friend.

The two discussed plans to look for people "to travel" with horns on trips arranged by Mr Marvatona, as well as possible ways to hide the horns in cargo.

In September 2022, Mr Marvatona asked Gumede to transport rhinoceros horns from South Africa to Laos, through Singapore.

In return, Mr Marvatona would make his trip "worthwhile" by providing return tickets and cash. The amount was not specified in court documents.

THE DISCOVERY

On the morning of Oct 4 in 2022, Ms Norizan Salleh, a baggage screening officer with the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, was screening X-ray images of transit luggage when she noticed two cardboard boxes wrapped in plastic cling wrap.

Seeing that they appeared to contain several organic items shaped like horns, she informed her supervisor and the boxes were taken for further inspection.

Mr Wesley Lim, a National Parks Board (NParks) senior investigation officer, was tasked to attend to the matter.

Investigations showed that Gumede had checked in the boxes at the main airport in Johannesburg, South Africa, to a Singapore Airlines flight bound for Changi Airport.

He had intended to board a connecting flight from Singapore to Vientiane, Laos.

Following the detention of the boxes, Gumede was informed via a public announcement to report to the Changi Airport Police Command where he was escorted to an inspection room.

Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Lee Da Zhuan said that both boxes were opened in his presence there and they were found to contain a total of 20 pieces of rhinoceros horns weighing about 34.7kg.

They were concealed in two travel bags, one red and one grey, which were each packed into the boxes separately.

As of Oct 4, 2022, the estimated wholesale value of these rhinoceros horns is about S$1,200,140.

DNA analysis by NParks' experts confirmed that all 20 horns were genuine rhinoceros horns that came from two endangered species — the white rhinoceros and the black rhinoceros, which is classed as critically endangered.

Samples of the horns were also sent to the faculty of veterinary science at the University of Pretoria in South Africa for expert DNA analysis to determine if the horns matched DNA profiles from case samples in their database.

The faculty confirmed that 18 pieces came from 15 different southern white rhinoceroses and two pieces came from one black rhinoceros.

DPP Lee said that Gumede did not possess any valid convention on international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora (Cites) export or re-export permit.

HORNS FROM POACHERS

Before his trip, Gumede had tried to recruit an acquaintance, Mr Chad Berry, to accompany him on the trip because Mr Marvatona had asked him to look for someone to travel with him to Laos.

Gumede told Mr Berry that the reward would be ZAR30,000 (S$2,230) for flying with the "package" to either Laos or Vietnam.

He also referred to the rhinoceros horns as "horn stock" and claimed that the people that they were assisting had access to some of these stock, which needed to get to another country.

Gumede was unsuccessful in recruiting Mr Berry.

Investigations showed that Mr Marvatona had bought the horns from illegal poachers in South Africa and arranged to sell them to a person known only as "Jimmy" in Laos.

LARGEST SEIZURE OF RHINOCEROS' HORNS

Seeking a jail term of 37 months, DPP Lee argued that there was a pressing need for a stiff and deterrent sentence as the illegal trade in rhinoceros' horns not only threatens the existence of these animals but it also fosters a thriving black-market economy.

"Our Singapore airports handle more than 30 million passengers annually and the sheer volume of passenger traffic renders Singapore vulnerable to be exploited as a conduit for the smuggling of endangered species into Singapore and to other parts of the world," DPP Lee said.

Calling it the largest seizure of rhinoceros horns here to date, DPP Lee stressed that there is a need to deter illegal wildlife trade and send a clear message that Singapore is committed to protecting and preserving the delicate balance of ecosystems.

For each charge of export or re-export of any scheduled species without a valid Cites permit, Gumede could be jailed for up to two years or fined S$50,000 for each species, or both.