A suspect arrested at OR Tambo International Airport while allegedly trying to smuggle 50 eggs of protected parrot species has been convicted under a plea agreement, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment says.
The department said the person was convicted in the Kempton Park Regional Court on Monday, 2 November 2026, in a statement issued on 6 November.
Sentence
According to the statement, the sentence was a fine of R500,000 or five years' imprisonment, suspended for five years, with R300,000 to be paid to the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) for the care of seized animals.
Minister David Maynier said: "Environmental crime is organised crime." He welcomed the court's ruling that funds be paid to SANBI.
The operation
The department said the arrest, in August 2026, followed an intelligence-driven operation led by its Environmental Management Inspectorate, known as the Green Scorpions, with support from SAPS Crime Intelligence, SAPS Border Police and the SAPS Stock Theft and Endangered Species Unit.
The statement also refers to an earlier interception of 418 eggs at the same airport in July 2026, for which an arrest warrant was issued.
