PICS: Two in court for attempting to smuggle animals into KZN
Two alleged animal smugglers are due to line up in a Pretoria court on Friday.
The men allegedly tried to courier several reptiles to KwaZulu-Natal earlier this week.
The South African Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre says a PostNet branch in Pretoria contacted them on Wednesday after staff noticed something suspicious in the parcels.
A snake rescuer went to the premises.
She found several reptiles, including Sungazer lizards which are protected under the Threatened or Protected Species Act.
READ: Newcastle business owner facing charges of animal cruelty
Van Dam's Girdled Lizards, which are protected by CITES, were also found in the parcels.
The Agriculture Department's Nature Conservation Unit was contacted once the animal rescuer realised that it was a criminal matter.
The parcel senders were contacted and told a snake had escaped.
They were arrested when they arrived at the branch.
At their home, officials found more protected species and confiscated them.
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