Four women are in custody after they appeared in the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court on 30 November 2022 for being in possession of three five-week-old lion cubs that they were allegedly trying to sell.
Photo: responsibletravel.com
Jorain Hill, Megan du Plessis, Yandri Bekker, and Lauren Bartholomew were arrested on the corner of Trichardts and Massel roads on 29 November.
Hawks Serious Organised Crime Investigation Unit spokesperson Captain Lloyd Ramovha told Boksburg advertiser that they were charged with illegally dealing, possessing, and transporting endangered species. ‘The Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime investigation arose after a tipoff from Crime Intelligence was swiftly acted upon on Monday,’ Ramovha said.
‘Following surveillance, a search and seizure operation netted the four women in Trichardt’s Road, Boksburg North. Three lion cubs, estimated to be about five weeks old, were rescued and taken to a vet,’ he said.
According to The Citizen, Boksburg SPCA manager Vicky Finnemore said the society is shocked and horrified that these animals were offered on a street corner of a residential area in Boksburg.
‘We are happy the perpetrators were arrested and hope that justice prevails. One can only wonder what has become of the mother of these cubs,’ she said.
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