During a multidisciplinary operation between the SAPS, Provincial traffic and metro police, a 45-year-old man’s luck ran out when he was arrested at a roadblock in Stanford Road. on the morning of 17 September 2021, with a substantial amount of abalone in the boot of his car.
Upon inspecting the bags, a total of 349 units of abalone weighing 70kg was discovered. The estimated value of the molluscs is R251 280.
He was arrested on a charge of illegal possession of abalone. He is expected to appear in the Gelvandale magistrate court on Monday, 20 September 2021.
In another unrelated incident, two members from the Gqeberha K9 unit confiscated abalone worth R80 000 on the afternoon of 16 September 2021.
It is alleged that at about 14:30, the members were training a K9 along the coast in Marine Drive when they spotted an unknown person sporting diving equipment exiting the water.
When the person spotted the members, he went back into the water and swam away. With the assistance of a private poaching company, a bag was retrieved from the water.
A total of 126 units of abalone was confiscated.
