Police turns up the heat on abalone poachers in the Western Cape

Our onslaught to break the back of abalone poaching in the Western Cape is delivering the desired results with a significant number of arrests and confiscations being affected during the past week.

Yesterday morning members from the Cape Town K9 unit responded to information of abalone being transported to Cape Town and conducted patrols in Brooklyn. At about 10:30 they noticed a SUV vehicle reversing into a garage of a residence in Diep Street. The members entered the garage and found bags containing fresh shucked abalone in the vehicle. They proceeded to search the residence and discovered more bags of shucked abalone in a bedroom and also a chest freezer containing the same. In total 8 266 units of shucked abalone were seized. It is yet to be weighed to determine the value which is estimated at a substantial amount. R9 000-00 in cash and 12 cellular phones were also seized. Four suspects aged between 29 and 42 were arrested and they are due to appear in Cape Town Magistrates court on Monday on charges relating to the Living Marine Resources Act.

Last night members of Maitland Flying Squad followed up information after arrests were made yesterday morning for abalone which led them to a farm in the Philadelphia. The premises were searched which resulted in the discovery of abalone valued at R4.5 million, and equipment to process abalone for export purposes. The suspects managed to evade arrest and are being sought.

The Provincial Commissioner of the Western Cape police, Lt Gen KE Jula thanked his members for their dedicated efforts, and warned criminals that we will stop at nothing to reduce the levels of crime in this province.