JOHANNESBURG: Rhino horn smugglers in South Africa are increasingly supplying the jewelry trade, marking a shift away from sales to traditional medicine makers, according to a new report published Monday.
Conservation group TRAFFIC said Chinese gangs were processing horns into beads, bracelets and bangles to supply Asia’s booming luxury goods market while also helping traffickers evade detection at airports.
Julian Rademeyer, a project director at TRAFFIC, said that the market for horn from the endangered species had been transformed in recent years.
“These products are exported and sold as they are, not necessarily to be ground down” as before, he told AFP.
“The rhino market has evolved over the years. The syndicates no longer want to export whole horn.”
Rhino horn is mostly keratin, the same material as human nails, and is believed to cure cancer and other conditions — as well being marketed as an aphrodisiac in Vietnam and China.
“Prior to that, a lot of the demand was for medicinal purposes, and in Vietnam demand for whole horn as a status symbol,” said Rademeyer.
The report, titled “Pendants, Power and Pathways,” revealed that smugglers are disguising rhino horn products as toys, artefacts and even hidden in bags of cashew nuts to avoid security detection.
They also wrap them in aluminum foil and smear them with toothpaste and shampoo to hide the tell-tale smell of decay.
The report revealed that countries including Ethiopia and Kenya played a “pivotal role as transit countries in Africa as they have direct links to Asian countries.”
South Africa’s OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg was also identified as a “key hub” for shipments destined for Asian countries.
Rhino horn smugglers shift to jewelry: Report
Rhino horn smugglers shift to jewelry: Report
UK Police arrest 86 people at prison protest for Palestine Action hunger striker
- Demonstration outside Wormwood Scrubs held in support of Umer Khalid
- Khalid 1 of 5 people charged in connection with break-in at RAF base last year
LONDON: A protest outside a prison in the UK in support of a man detained for supporting the banned group Palestine Action has led to the arrest of 86 people.
London’s Metropolitan Police said a group of demonstrators breached the grounds of Wormwood Scrubs prison in the capital, refused to leave when ordered to do so, and threatened officers. They were arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass.
The group, several of whom attempted to gain access to the prison itself, were protesting in support of Umer Khalid, who is currently on hunger strike at the facility.
Khalid is one of five people charged in relation to a break-in by Palestine Action members at an RAF base at Brize Norton last year, in which two military aircraft were damaged.
Khalid, who denies the charges, is one of several people who are on or who have taken part in hunger strikes in recent months, all of whom have been held on similar charges for over a year without their cases being brought to trial.
A spokesperson for the UK’s Ministry of Justice said: “The escalation of the protest at HMP Wormwood Scrubs is completely unacceptable. While we support the right to peacefully protest, reports of trespassing and threats being made to staff and police officers are deeply concerning.
“At no point was prison security compromised. However, where individuals’ actions cause risk or actual harm to hardworking staff, this will not be taken lightly and those responsible can expect to face consequences.
“Prisoners are being managed in line with longstanding policy. This includes regular checks by medical professionals, heart monitoring and blood tests, and support to help them eat and drink again. If deemed appropriate by healthcare teams, prisoners will be taken to hospital.”
