Milnerton police have arrested four suspects and confiscated abalone worth R9 million.
Provincial police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Andre Traut, says in a statement that the authority’s endeavors to root out the illegal and lucrative trade in abalone in the province was rewarded when abalone with a combined value of R9 million was confiscated on Thursday 3 February.
He says the police’s investigation into abalone smuggling led them to a warehouse in Senna Park, Killarney Gardens where two Chinese nationals aged 31 and 48 years were arrested. The men was in possession of 27 182 dry and 1 551 wet shucked abalone worth about R6 million. Various scales, crates and containers, cardboard boxes and also a forklift were found on the premises.
“From there our members proceeded to a warehouse in Esso Street, Montague Gardens where they uncovered another illegal abalone facility. Numerous crates and 12 266 units of abalone wort R3 million were found in a refrigeration room,” Traut says.
Two Malawian men, aged 26 and 33, were arrested.
The suspects are due to appear in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Monday 6 February on charges relating to the Living Marine Resources Act, including the illegal possession of abalone.
