Abalone dealers stopped in their tracks with abalone worth R5.3 million

Two alleged abalone dealers are expected to appear in the Paarl Magistrate’s Court on this morning for contravening the Marine Living Resources Act.

The pair aged 33 and 45, was apprehended near the N1 Hugenote tunnel on yesterday afternoon in a joint search and seizure operation by members of the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation, Crime Intelligence, K9 and Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF).

The operation was in response to information received that there was a truck transporting abalone along the N1. When the identified truck was stopped, it was found to be laden with bags of onions and potatoes with boxes of dried abalone with an estimated street value of R5.3 million concealed underneath other cargo.