Cape Town – US secretary of state John Kerry has offered a $1m reward in efforts to bust a poaching ring based in Laos and operating in South Africa and other countries.

AFP reports that the first-of-its-kind reward by the US state department targets the Xaysavang Network which operates in widespread areas including South Africa, Mozambique, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, and China.

In a press statement Kerry said that profits from wildlife trafficking are estimated at $8-10bn per year, an amount used to fund other illegal activities like narcotics, arms, and human trafficking.

[link to www.news24.com]