Cape Town – A father and a son appeared in the Bellville Magistrate's Court on Thursday for the illegal possession of abalone valued at approximately R1 million, police said.
Directorate for Priority Crime investigation (Hawks) spokesperson, Captain Lloyd Ramovha, said Efraim Jacobus Hendricks, 52, and Chad Harold Hendricks, 22, were arrested on Tuesday at their Burgundy Estate home by members from the Hawks and the police's K9 Unit, when information was followed-up culminating in the seizure of 6 496 units of abalone found stashed in a vehicle parked in the estate's parking lot.
"Efraim has been granted R50 000 bail, whilst his son got R5 000 bail. They are due back in court on the 21st of April 2017."
The matter was postponed to allow for further investigations.
The father and son were part of a group of suspects who were arrested during the raid.
Meanwhile, of the ten accused that appeared in the Bellville and Cape Town Magistrate's Courts on Wednesday, four have been denied bail owing to their illegal status in South Africa.
Takunwa Makwarimba, 37, Nelson Ndadzira, 43, Richard Matibe, 25, and Fungai Chinakidzwa, 31, were not granted bail. The remaining six accused, Siu-Lee Ngok, 56, Andrew Lau, 30, Johannes Basson, 41, Vincent McLeod, 43, Johan George Kluyts, 28, and Pieter Ferreira were granted bail ranging from R15 000 to R80 000.