Two men who were arrested after a high-speed chase on Saturday, appeared in court at the Strand, near Cape Town, on Monday, for the alleged illegal possession of shucked abalone.
Rowhall William Thompson, 27, of Mount Pleasant in Hermanus on the southern Cape coast, and Vernon Jansen, 32, of Elsies River in Cape Town, appeared before magistrate Karen Scheepers.
They were remanded to Monday, August 29, to enable prosecutor Ielhaam Davids to check their backgrounds, in order to decide whether to oppose their bail application to be launched at their next appearance by defence advocate Dorian van Zyl.
According to a report on the SAPS website, members of the Cape Town K9 Unit were tipped off about a bakkie that was transporting abalone from Hermanus to Cape Town, last Saturday.
The bakkie was being escorted by a Toyota and a BMW, and the police were warned that the occupants of the three vehicles were armed.
The police spotted the bakkie about 6.30am, going in the direction of Somerset West, and gave chase.
The two vehicles escorting the bakkie tried without success to force the police vehicle off the road, and then sped away.
Police stopped the bakkie on the N2, near the Lwandle informal settlement, and arrested the passenger as he jumped out and tried to escape.
Police found bags of shucked abalone on the back of the bakkie, as well as inside the bakkie, behind the seats.
Police also confiscated an unlicensed, loaded revolver, as well as a plastic bag containing another 20 rounds, under the seat.
Both men were arrested, and 3 377 units of shucked abalone were confiscated.
They are charged with the illegal possession and transportation of abalone, as well as possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.
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