A 28-year-old man was arrested for allegedly smuggling 70 live animals in his luggage. Custom officials at the O.R. Tambo International Airport (ORTIA) near Johannesburg, discovered the animals hidden inside plastic tubs and bags.
By Levi Novey •
January 14, 2009
Estimates vary, but the general consensus is that internationally, the illegal wildlife trade ranks at least second or third in its volume and profitability, only behind the trade of drugs and guns. It’s thought to be a billion dollar industry annually in the U.S. alone. The World Wildlife Federation says its “the second-biggest threat to species after habitat destruction.”