HORN HEIST ARREST: Wildlife trafficking net widens — Hawks nab a fifth suspect on World Rhino Day
The staged rhino horn heist complainant who opened an allegedly false armed robbery case last year, has finally been arrested and unmasked
Hawks arrest Nguyen Huu Dong, Vietnam national, on World Rhino Day 2026
A Vietnamese national and manager of the Voi game lodge, Nguyen Huu Dong, has been arrested in Klerksdorp on World Rhino Day, marking a significant breakthrough in a complex wildlife trafficking case. Dong, 30, is accused of staging a false armed robbery to steal 98 rhino horns, R50,000 in cash, and two cellphones from the lodge.
Dong faces charges of attempted robbery, defeating the ends of justice, and perjury. He was granted bail and remanded in custody until Monday, 28 September 2026, to apply for bail. The court is expected to hear additional charges in due course.
The arrest comes after a series of interceptions of rhino horn shipments and tiger carcasses at Singapore's Changi International Airport, linked to Dong's syndicate. Dong's arrest is believed to expose the inner workings of the Chu wildlife crime network, which operates in South Africa, Mozambique, and several African countries.
Dong is the first cousin of Chu Dang Khoa, the mastermind of the syndicate, who was previously arrested in 2019 for allegedly possessing 100 rhino horns, frozen tiger carcasses, and illegal firearms. Dong has a history of animal cruelty investigations by the National Council of SPCAs.
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