CAPE TOWN - The Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation unit together with Crime Intelligence, K9 and officials from the Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) conducted an intelligence driven disruptive operation in Durbanville, Cape Town on Wednesday.
The multidisciplinary team uncovered abalone worth a total value of R3 162 300 in an illicit abalone drying facility.
Several drying equipments used to process abalone were seized along with the wet, dried and processed abalone. Consequently, the two suspects, aged 27 and 46, were arrested during the search and seizure.
They are expected to appear at Bellville Magistrate's Court on Friday, 15 February 2019.
The multidisciplinary team uncovered abalone worth a total value of R3 162 300 in an illicit abalone drying facility. Picture: Hawks/Supplied
Picture: Hawks/Supplied
Picture: Hawks/Supplied
They are expected to appear at Bellville Magistrates Court on Friday, 15 February 2019. Picture: Hawks/Supplied
Last month Western Cape police seized 4932 units of shucked abalone and 638 units of dried abalone with an estimated street value of R2.4 million in a warehouse in Milnerton.
At 10am, the members arrived at the premises in Freedom Way, where a Chevrolet Optra with two occupants had just stopped. Upon searching the vehicle they found two 50 kilogram [bags] of salt, which confirmed their suspicions. Upon entering the warehouse they uncovered an illegal abalone processing facility and arrested the men, aged 31 and 34, police said.
Numerous plastic containers filled with shucked abalone, steel cooking pots, gas cylinders and burners, a scale, chest freezer and other items of equipment were seized. Three rooms on the upper level were equipped as drying rooms where dried abalone was also seized.
@TheCapeArgus