Western Cape police had a successful night on Tuesday (11 July) after they arrested six people for abalone smuggling.
The first arrest was made in Brackenfell where two suspects were arrested for operating an illegal abalone processing facility.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Andrè Traut, said in a statement that at around 19:00 on Tuesday information was received and led various police units to a farm on the Bottelary Road, Brackenfell.
“Two suspects aged 43 and 46 were arrested for operating an illegal abalone processing facility. The seizure at the crime scene comprised 6 878 units of fresh abalone, 24 922 units of dry abalone and equipment used for the processing of abalone,” he said.
Traut said that after that raid, in Milnerton at around 19:30 police reacted to information and apprehended a cold storage truck in Montagu Gardens which was searched.
“The search led to the discovery of 213 bags of frozen abalone with an approximate weight of five ton.”
“A 23 year-old-female and three males aged 24, 26 and 37 respectively were arrested for the illegal possession of abalone. The truck was also confiscated.”
Traut said the exact value of the abalone confiscated during the two operations is yet to be determined.
“It is however estimated at several million rand and deemed a significant blow to the illegal abalone trade in this province.”
He said that the police will not allow criminals to strip the marine resources of the Western Cape.
“We will continue with our intelligence driven operations to fight the scourge.”
The suspects are due to make court appearances in Kuils Rivier and Cape Town.
