Three suspects believed to be part of the alleged illegal abalone dealings appeared briefly at the Somerset West Magistrates’ Court on 10 August 2018.
Shen Hongyu (43), Tu Dugn (27) and Ibrahem Abdalla Atieh Alnaimat (33) were arrested on Wednesday at a Wine Farm in Somerset during an intelligence driven operation.
The Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation and officials from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) conducted a joint search and seizure operation on an alleged illegal abalone laboratory.
They managed to seize dried and wet abalone worth over R2.5 million as well as several equipment, two vehicles and an undisclosed amount of cash. Alnaimat was released on R150 000 bail while Hongyu and Dugn remain in custody.
The case against the trio was postponed to the 17 August 2018 pending further investigations.
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