KEMPTON PARK – A suspect arrested at OR Tambo International Airport while attempting to smuggle 50 protected parrot species eggs out of South Africa has been convicted in the Kempton Park Regional Court.

The court handed down the sentence on Monday, 2 November, following the suspect’s arrest in August 2026 during a joint intelligence-driven operation.

Under a plea agreement, the accused received a R500 000 fine or five years’ imprisonment, suspended for five years on condition that R300 000 goes to the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) for the care of animals seized during law enforcement operations.

The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) Environmental Management Inspectorate, known as the Green Scorpions, led the operation. The SAPS Crime Intelligence, SAPS Border Police and members of the SAPS Stock Theft and Endangered Species Unit supported the arrest.

Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, David Maynier, said the case shows what cooperation across law enforcement agencies can achieve.

“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.

SANBI staff stepped in at short notice to care for the seized parrot eggs. Many eggs hatched despite the conditions they endured during smuggling. Their work also comes at a financial cost, as does the processing of evidence in the case.

Maynier said SANBI’s expert support proved vital in presenting evidence for the case. He welcomed the court’s ruling that the accused must pay funds to SANBI and said the DFFE will pursue similar requests in other cases where authorities confiscate wildlife.

The Green Scorpions intercepted 418 eggs at OR Tambo Airport in July. Authorities have issued an arrest warrant for the suspect identified during this first interception. The Green Scorpions will continue investigating the wider trafficking network with support from other countries and international organisations.

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