The police’s K9 Unit and the Department of Agriculture,
Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) arrested two men and confiscated abalone worth
R4.5 million in Kraaifontein on Thursday.
They reacted to a complaint of alleged illegal abalone
activity at Bur-Hein Estate, Kraaifontein, which is comprised of various
housing complexes.
At 06:00 police and DAFF officials noticed a
suspicious-looking vehicle, an Opel Corsa, in the San Michele complex.
When the
driver noticed the police vehicle he attempted to flee but was stopped.
Upon
searching the vehicle the police dog reacted positively to abalone fluid in the
vehicle.
A remote control and keys that were found in the vehicle opened the
garage and front door of a double-storey flat in the complex.
Upon searching
the flat an illegal abalone processing facility was uncovered.
A top-story
room was found to be a drying room, with large amounts of abalone on shelves
surrounded by heaters and fans.
In other rooms and on the lower level they also
seized dried abalone, a steel cooking pot, gas cylinder and burner, as well as
other equipment and chemicals.
According to a police report two men, aged 25
and 29, were arrested on charges under the Living Marine Resources Act.
“Further investigation by various police units and DAFF led them to a residence
in another complex where the police dog reacted positively to abalone fluid in
a Lexus sedan motor vehicle.
Upon searching the premises a substantial amount
of cash and various cellphones were seized.
Two men, aged 39 and 54, were
arrested.
The police then proceeded to search a double-storey residence where
numerous containers filled with bags of shucked abalone and various items of
equipment were seized, as well as drying equipment on the upper level,” reads
the report.
After searching a double-storey flat at another address,
containers of shucked abalone were recovered in the kitchen.
In the upper rooms
various items of equipment, including a cooking pot, gas burner and cylinder,
were found, along with a drying room.”
All four men were arrested and the vehicles seized. The
suspects will appear in the Kuils River Magistrate’s Court on charges under the
Living Marine Resources Act.
Provincial commissioner of the Western Cape, Lieutenant
General Khombinkosi Jula, applauded these large seizures of our living marine
resources which are being looted by syndicates.
