Cape Town - Easter is going to be a dry affair for “customers” of a crayfish smuggler on the Cape Flats.
The man was arrested after he allegedly advertised crayfish tails on Facebook.
Following a police investigation, the 31-year-old was allegedly caught red-handed with 800 illegal crayfish tails in his possession.
Police made the breakthrough this week after scrutinising Facebook posts made by the suspect, who lives in Lotus River.
He posted images of the tails laid out in rows on a table, or packaged neatly, while another photo shows a crayfish potjie.
In one photo, he holds two tails in his hand to show customers the size.
The advertisement reads: “Massive crayfish tails avail inbox or whatsapp me” and includes a cellphone number.
It is unclear how much he charged the public for these tails, but last year around the same time he advertised tails for R11 each, urging customers to buy “before the Easter price increase”.
But his luck ran out on Monday when members of the Law Enforcement Marine Unit, reacting on a tip-off, stopped him in his white Toyota bakkie.
Members searched his car and found 800 crayfish tails.
The man is currently detained at Grassy Park Police Station and has been charged under the Living Marine Resources Act, which includes the illegal possession and transportation of crayfish tails.
Wayne Dyason, of the Law Enforcement Marine Unit, says the suspect was nabbed after brazenly advertising his illegal wares on social media.
“On April 3, the Law Enforcement Marine Unit was acting on a tip-off and arrested a male suspect for the illegal possession of 800 lobster tails,” Dyason says.
“The suspect was also linked to a number of adverts on Facebook where lobster tails were illegally obtained and are advertised for sale.
“Members of the public are urged not to buy lobsters from these illegal sellers.”
Just two weeks ago, members of the Cape Town K9 Unit made a breakthrough when they allegedly found a couple - a man, 48, and woman, aged 42 - in possession of 1 497 crayfish tails and 11 whole West Coast Rock Lobsters, worth R20 000.
The Wynberg couple was nabbed while transporting their loot from Hermanus to Cape Town.
Meanwhile, with Easter being next week, the price of fish has also sky-rocketed.
You can expect to pay between R200 and R250 for a large snoek, a 200 percent increase from last month.