The endeavours of SAPS to tackle the lucrative illegal trade of abalone in the Western Cape and to break the back of smuggling syndicates have paid off with the arrest of a foreign national earlier. On Wednesday, 14 November 2018, a search operation was conducted by members of the Cape Town K9 Unit and Crime Intelligence at a residence in Chevonne Street, Welgemoed.
At approximately 08:30 members entered the house and found various chest freezers in bedrooms and the garage of the premises. Numerous bags containing frozen shucked abalone as well as dried abalone was also recovered. A 28 year old foreign national was arrested.
Officials from the department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries were summoned to the scene and counted the abalone. It amounted to 1 561 units of dry abalone and 2 510 units of shucked abalone. The value thereof was estimated at R2 million. Ten chest freezers, two scales and various plastic containers were also seized.
The suspect is to appear in Bellville Magistrates Court on Friday 16 November 2018, on charges under the Living Marine Resources Act for the illegal possession of abalone.
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