A total of 707 suspects have been arrested in connection with rhino poaching between January 2023 and March of this year. Currently, 589 suspects are in custody awaiting trial, 91 suspects have been convicted, 21 are out on bail, five have been released, two were acquitted, and one suspect has died. Environment minister Pohamba Shifeta provided these statistics during his budget motivation for the 2024-2025 financial year. The minister warned that the country has recently experienced "a high rate of criminal syndicates targeting our rhinos." He highlighted that the anti-poaching unit has achieved a breakthrough on the poaching incidences in Etosha and private farms, where 28 rhinos have been poached this year.