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Hawks still searching for missing crocs

Johannesburg - The Hawks were still searching for more than 100 live crocodiles which disappeared from a farm near Ga-Rankuwa, north of Pretoria.

Spokesperson Colonel McIntosh Polela said on Tuesday no arrests had been made as yet. Police found 200 crocodiles at the farm on Friday and ordered that they not be removed. However, when they went back on Monday, there were only 20 reptiles there.

Farmworkers told the police they were moved on Saturday night, but could not say where they were taken.

Police went to the farm on Friday after the owner was arrested in connection with a multi-million rand theft case involving a Shoprite Checkers syndicate.

He said the Hawks approached conservation experts for help after the remains of other animals were found at the farm.

A skinned domestic cat and a zebra, which it was thought were to have been sold as meat to unsuspecting members of the community, were found in a coldroom on the farm on Friday.

Goats and other animals believed to have been picked up in the veld after dying of natural causes were also apparently stored in the coldroom.

Police suspected this meat would also have been sold to the public, possibly after being processed as boerewors.

As a result of the disappearance of the crocodiles, the farmer was facing an additional charge of defeating the ends of justice.

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Hawks-still-searching-for-missing-crocs-20110208

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