The Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime investigation together with the Johannesburg Metro Police Dog Unit have arrested three suspects in possession of abalone, scylla serrata (mud crabs), and sea cucumbers.
The suspects’ were arrested in Cyrildene, Johannesburg, on Tuesday 25 June 2019, after their vehicle was searched and was found loaded with scylla serrata. Further investigations led the team to a house in Cryldine, Johannesburg where they found a further 1020 units of Scylla serrata, 287 units of abalone, and 140kg sea cucumbers. The trio was immediately apprehended and they will appear before the Johannesburg Magistrates Court on Thursday for contravention of the Marine Act 18 of 1998.
Meanwhile, a multidisciplinary driven operation consisting of the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime, Crime Intelligence, and Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Swat Team yielded positive results when two suspects were arrested at Festival Mall in Kempton Park for possession of elephant tusks on Wednesday morning, 26 June 2019. The team followed up information regarding men who were selling elephant tusks which led to their apprehension during a joint operation.
The suspects aged between 33 and 50 will appear before the Kempton Park Magistrates Court on Friday 28 June 2019, for contravention of Section 57 of the National Environmental Management-Biodiversity (NEMBA) Act 57 of 2009.
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