JOHANNESBURG: A group of South Africans have been arrested in Zambia for attempting to smuggle sable antelope to South Africa.
The men are believed to have removed the seats of a Piper PA-31 Navajo twin-propeller aircraft and cushioned the interior in order to smuggle the 12 young antelope.
They planned to fly below the radar in order to avert detection by Zambian and South African authorities.
Their original flight plan indicated they wanted to fly from Choma, Zambia to Polokwane, Limpopo, but apparently diverted to Gwembe district, where they were apprehended.
The six South Africans, including two pilots, and a Zimbabwean, were arrested on Friday.
Adult sable antelope command upwards of R600,000 each. Prized breeding animals have fetched more than R12-million on auction.
The antelope were reportedly drugged before the flight but awoke upon landing in Gwembe.
