Vietnamese national and Voi Game Lodge owner Chu Dang Khoa, 44, made his first court appearance in the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court on Thursday following his arrest for allegedly staging a rhino horn theft in Hartbeesfontein.

• Vietnamese national Chu Dang Khoa has been arrested for allegedly staging a rhino horn theft at his own game lodge in Hartbeesfontein.
• The Hawks discovered elephant ivory worth R200 000 during a search.
• Conservation experts say the arrest marks a breakthrough, as authorities are finally targeting the masterminds behind wildlife crime rather than just poachers.

High-profile wildlife trafficker and owner of Voi Game Lodge Chu Dang Khoa appeared before the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court on Thursday following his arrest for alleged wildlife crimes.

The 44-year-old Vietnamese national was arrested on Wednesday on charges of contravention of the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act after allegedly staging a theft of rhino horns at his own game lodge near Hartbeesfontein, Hawks spokesperson Katlego Mogale said in a statement.

During an authorised search and seizure operation in Centurion, the Hawks also discovered suspected illegal processed elephant ivory valued at R200 000.

Khoa’s case has been postponed to 20 March for a bail hearing at the same court.

This is not Khoa’s first encounter with South African law enforcement. He has previously been linked to rhino horn trafficking and theft and was fined and deported in 2011 for the illegal possession of five rhino horns.

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DA spokesperson on forestry, fisheries and the environment Andrew de Blocq described Khoa’s arrest as significant in the fight against wildlife crime.

He noted that law enforcement typically catches the foot soldiers in poaching operations, rather than the masterminds “who profit from wildlife crime”.

With South Africa having the world’s largest rhino population, De Blocq stated that “protecting [rhinos] is both a national responsibility and a global obligation”.

Grant Fowlds, a director at Project Rhino, acknowledged that there have been holes in South Africa’s legal and investigative teams. However, he said the arrest signals that authorities are now clamping down on wildlife trafficking.

“Finally, the net is closing in on wildlife crime,” said Fowlds.

“It means a hell of a lot because we can see that there are drops in national poaching figures.”

In his work, Fowlds said he has noticed that these wildlife crime syndicates all have a common denominator.

“They all have strong links to Southeast Asia, which is, as we know, the traditional user market, and I have personally been there,” he said.