New pangolin bust in Prince Albert as Pretoria trafficking case returns to court
Two men were arrested near Prince Albert after police found a live pangolin worth R200 000 in their vehicle, just as a separate Pretoria trafficking case - involving two police officers - returned to court this week.
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Police have arrested two men after recovering a live pangolin worth an estimated R200 000 at a roadblock outside Prince Albert, a discovery that comes as a separate Pretoria pangolin-trafficking case involving two police officers moves through the courts.
According to Arrive Alive, Flying Squad members were conducting operations along key entry and exit routes on Monday when they stopped a Hyundai at a vehicle checkpoint on Prince Albert Road. During a search, officers found a box containing a pangolin, one of the world’s most heavily trafficked and endangered mammals.
The animal was confiscated and handed over to CapeNature for further processing. The two occupants, both believed to be from Delft in Cape Town, were arrested for unlawful possession of an endangered species. They remain in custody and are expected to appear in the Prince Albert Magistrate’s Court once they have been formally charged.
Pretoria case: October 1 arrests back in court
The Prince Albert discovery comes as the courts continue to deal with another pangolin-trafficking matter in Gauteng.
In the Pretoria North Magistrate’s Court, 55-year-old Lesly Jan Moeng was denied bail after he and three co-accused - including two Sun City police officers - were arrested on October 1 during an undercover operation. The group allegedly attempted to sell a pangolin valued at R160 000 to an undercover police agent.
Moeng’s co-accused, Isaac Leatile Ntsibe and officers Mkhanyisi Samuel and Paulina Mokgaki, were previously granted bail of R2 000 each. Prosecutors opposed Moeng’s bail, citing his prior convictions and an outstanding warrant. The case has been postponed to January 29, 2026 for further investigation.