Helicopter used in game-poaching racket
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Helicopter used in game-poaching racket
At the weekend officails from CapeNature (formally Cape Nature Conservation) with the help of the SAPS stock theft unit in Oudtshoorn, seized a helicopter, four vehicles and game capture nets and confiscated 43 protected antelope.
The men were arrested and will appear in the Murrysburg Magistrates' Court on Monday.
one is a well known game trader from Beaufort West and the other is a pilot from Mossel Bay.
Sounds like someone really is in the kAk....wonder what the REG of the heli is?
The men were arrested and will appear in the Murrysburg Magistrates' Court on Monday.
one is a well known game trader from Beaufort West and the other is a pilot from Mossel Bay.
Sounds like someone really is in the kAk....wonder what the REG of the heli is?
Gatvol
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Heres hoping they throw the Book at them. I dont know the process over there but asset forfeture would be nice. Give the Aircraft to the SAP Stock theft folks. Its a dream Im sure as someone no doubt will get paid off to make this all go away.
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It would be very interesting to find out if this "operation" was carried out under a valid AOC, and if so who's. The Wildlife Translocation Accosiation of SA and CAA have in the last two years gone to extreme measures to set a standard for game operators. Both in the interest of air and ground safety, but also to give the game a fair chance of surviving the penalties of being chased by mad merry men and their flying machines.
FJ
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Fanie, being in Knysna, you should know the Heli pilots from Mosselbay. Who's there??? Maybe ex Knysna boys!
As far as I know, there's only one or two helos in Mosselbay, so it should'nt be too difficult to figure out who the pilot may be.
As far as I know, there's only one or two helos in Mosselbay, so it should'nt be too difficult to figure out who the pilot may be.
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Two men apeared in the Murraysburg Court last week, and the matter has been postponed to 15 November 2004 for trial.
The men, Gerald Minnaar (37) from Beaufort West, and Mr. Kobus Crause (52) from Mosselbay did not plead during their appearance.
Mr. Paul Gildenhuys from Cape Nature Conservation said various types of endangered species captured, was involved. Captain Eddie Cronjé from the SAPD said the Police were investigation 5 similiar cases of poaching of endagered species in the Southern Cape.
Kobus Crause is a well known Mossel Bay business man and the owner of a couple of helicopters.
The men, Gerald Minnaar (37) from Beaufort West, and Mr. Kobus Crause (52) from Mosselbay did not plead during their appearance.
Mr. Paul Gildenhuys from Cape Nature Conservation said various types of endangered species captured, was involved. Captain Eddie Cronjé from the SAPD said the Police were investigation 5 similiar cases of poaching of endagered species in the Southern Cape.
Kobus Crause is a well known Mossel Bay business man and the owner of a couple of helicopters.
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Kobus Crause is a very controversial guy. He's always up to something and ready to make a buck. (Excuse the pun)
He pranged his Bell 47 in Meirings Poort some years back whilst doing flood relief for the victims in the flooded area, nogal as a Reserve Pilot for the Police.
He overloaded the 47 with Mealie Meal, stashed in the cockpit with him, and on approach to landing, it shifted forward, allowing the CofG to move so far forward, that he hit the ground nose first. He just could'nt get the nose up. He broke his leg in the process, and the heli was written off.
4 Weeks later, he bought a Hughes 500C from Bloemfontein, and an ex SAPS Pilot ferried it down to Mossel Bay for him. Once there, he mounted the 500 with broken leg and all (still in plaster) headed for the mountain, and wrote it off the very same day whilst doing some mountain flying. Rumour has it that since he was not rated on the machine, he hid it away from the Feds under a tarpaulin for a coupla weeks.
That 500 eventually ended up being rebuilt by Reg Denyschen at CPT International, and exported to the USA.
Quite a guy, "ol Kobus".
He pranged his Bell 47 in Meirings Poort some years back whilst doing flood relief for the victims in the flooded area, nogal as a Reserve Pilot for the Police.
He overloaded the 47 with Mealie Meal, stashed in the cockpit with him, and on approach to landing, it shifted forward, allowing the CofG to move so far forward, that he hit the ground nose first. He just could'nt get the nose up. He broke his leg in the process, and the heli was written off.
4 Weeks later, he bought a Hughes 500C from Bloemfontein, and an ex SAPS Pilot ferried it down to Mossel Bay for him. Once there, he mounted the 500 with broken leg and all (still in plaster) headed for the mountain, and wrote it off the very same day whilst doing some mountain flying. Rumour has it that since he was not rated on the machine, he hid it away from the Feds under a tarpaulin for a coupla weeks.
That 500 eventually ended up being rebuilt by Reg Denyschen at CPT International, and exported to the USA.
Quite a guy, "ol Kobus".
