Chinese Nationals Jailed in Zimbabwe and South Africa Amid Crackdown on Organized Crime

Authorities in southern Africa have delivered two tough rulings against organized crime involving Chinese nationals — one in Zimbabwe for wildlife trafficking and another in South Africa for human trafficking.

On 11 September 2025, a Harare court sentenced Cong Yanzhong, a 57-year-old Chinese citizen, to 18 years in prison for illegally trading in rhino horn and ivory.

According to Zimbabwe’s National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Cong was arrested in July after police trailed him following a tip-off. When stopped on 16 July, he was carrying bags containing three shrink-wrapped rhino horns. He could not produce the required permits.

A search of his Harare residence uncovered an additional 36kg of raw ivory valued at just over US$6,000 (R110,000). The seized rhino horn weighed 7.7kg and was worth about US$240,000 (R4.4 million).

The magistrate imposed one of the country’s harshest recent sentences for wildlife crimes. The NPA welcomed the ruling, emphasizing Zimbabwe’s commitment to safeguarding its threatened rhino and elephant populations.

“Zimbabwe has zero tolerance for wildlife crime. This judgment demonstrates our resolve to protect our natural heritage,” the authority said.

Officials noted that poaching networks continue to exploit cross-border loopholes to supply illicit Asian markets where ivory and rhino horn remain highly sought after.

Just a day earlier, on 10 September 2025, a Johannesburg court sentenced seven Chinese nationals to 20 years each after convicting them on charges of human trafficking and kidnapping.

The group — Kevin Tsao, Chen Hui, Qin Li, Jiaqing Zhou, Ma Biao, Dai Junying, and Zhang Zhilian — had been found guilty earlier in the year on 158 counts, including exploitation, aiding illegal immigration, and breaching labour laws.

The case stemmed from a 2019 raid on a factory named Beautiful City, where investigators found 91 Malawians — 37 of them children — living and working in dire conditions. Victims reported being forced into 11-hour shifts every day of the week, deprived of rest, and prevented from leaving the premises.

One survivor testified: “We were not even allowed to go out and buy food. The meals we were given were dirty and not suitable for human consumption.”

Authorities discovered the victims had been smuggled into South Africa in shipping containers. The factory produced inner linings for blankets using recycled fabrics.

Prosecution spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said the verdict reflected the seriousness of the crime: “Human trafficking has become a scourge in our country. Our porous borders make us a target.”

South Africa’s labour department, which joined the raid, stressed that the case highlights the importance of closer inter-agency collaboration to prevent similar abuses.

The consecutive rulings underscore a wider regional push against transnational criminal syndicates involved in both environmental and human exploitation. Zimbabwean prosecutors said Cong’s case should act as a deterrent to wildlife traffickers, while South African authorities pledged to ramp up efforts against human trafficking networks.