Perlemoen with an estimated street value of R2 million was seized from an abandoned car in Somerset West, Cape Town on Wednesday, Western Cape police said.
Captain Frederik van Wyk said police received information that a man driving a Porsche was smuggling perlemoen into the town.
Police spotted the car and started to chase it, he said.
The driver managed to outrun the police, but they later found the car abandoned at Sir Lowry's Pass.
Thirty-nine bags containing 5540 pieces of perlemoen were found on the back seat of the car.
The car was seized and the perlemoen was handed over to the department of agriculture, forestry and fisheries.
Van Wyk said police were still looking for the driver. - Sapa