Man fined R500,000 after trying to smuggle 50 protected parrot eggs out of SA - IOL
A wildlife smuggler has been convicted after attempting to illegally transport 50 protected parrot eggs out of South Africa through OR Tambo International Airport.
A suspected wildlife trafficker arrested at OR Tambo International Airport while attempting to smuggle 50 protected parrot eggs out of South Africa has been convicted and sentenced, as authorities intensify investigations into a wider international wildlife trafficking network.
The accused was convicted in the Kempton Park Regional Court on Monday, November 2, 2026, following an arrest in August.
According to the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), the accused was sentenced under a plea agreement to a R500,000 fine or five years’ imprisonment, suspended for five years, subject to R300,000 being paid to the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI).
The money will go towards caring for animals confiscated during law enforcement operations.
The arrest followed an intelligence-driven operation led by the department’s Environmental Management Inspectorate, commonly known as the Green Scorpions, alongside SAPS Crime Intelligence and Border Police.
The operation was also supported by members of the SAPS Stock Theft and Endangered Species Unit.
Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment David Maynier welcomed the conviction, stressing the importance of cooperation between law enforcement agencies in combating wildlife trafficking.
"This case is an example of what can be achieved with cooperation and coordination across law enforcement agencies. Environmental crime is organised crime, and we will only be able to take down complex criminal networks with a joint approach to enforcing environmental law," Maynier said.
Following the seizure, SANBI staff were called in at short notice to care for the 50 protected parrot eggs.
Despite the conditions in which the eggs were being smuggled, many successfully hatched under the care of SANBI experts.
The department said caring for confiscated wildlife and processing evidence in environmental crime cases comes at a significant financial cost.
Maynier welcomed the court's decision to direct R300,000 towards SANBI, saying the department would seek similar financial contributions in future wildlife trafficking cases.
"The support of our experts at SANBI has been vital in presenting evidence for the case. The Court’s ruling that funds must be paid to SANBI is welcomed, and the DFFE will be pursuing similar requests in other cases where wildlife is confiscated," he said.
Meanwhile, authorities are pursuing another suspect linked to an earlier interception of 418 eggs at OR Tambo International Airport in July 2026.
The department confirmed that an arrest warrant has been issued for the suspect identified during that operation.
The Green Scorpions are continuing their investigation into the broader wildlife trafficking network, working alongside international organisations and law enforcement authorities in other countries.
The department said the investigation remains ongoing as authorities seek to dismantle the network behind the illegal trafficking of protected wildlife.
