Gauteng police have discovered hundreds of donkey skins in a major bust on Johannesburg’s West Rand after an intelligence-led operation between the Stock Theft and national Crime Intelligence units.

The police said the donkey skins discovered on a smallholding in the Brandvlei area near Randfontein were valued at around R2.25 million.

“The police received a tip off about a smelly warehouse at portion 26 Brandvlei‚ both units acted upon the given information which led them to the discovery of a large number of animal skins stuffed in a store room‚” said police spokesperson Constable Lucky Matome.

“During preliminary investigation it was established that the store room was leased to a foreign national who was not found at the premises.

 “It is alleged that the donkeys could have been illegally slaughtered for their skins‚” he said.

Matome said police were investigating two cases under different stock theft laws.

In January The Times reported about two big busts regarding the slaughtering of donkeys for their skins.

Ashley Ness‚ an inspector at the Highveld Horse Care Unit‚ and her team were instrumental in a bust on January 16 which saw nearly 3‚500 donkeys skins‚ believed to be destined for China‚ recovered in a warehouse in Benoni on Johannesburg’s East Rand.

Shortly after‚ the NSPCA were responsible for a bust in Olifantshoek in the Northern Cape where nearly 500 donkey carcasses were found in a field.