Cape Town – City officers say 240 abalone recovered from suspected poachers have been handed to police.
Marine Unit auxiliary staff working with the Melkbosstrand anti-poaching unit disrupted another poaching operation at Melkbosstrand yesterday.
The officers with an alert canine officer spotted divers on the beach with bags of abalone.
“As the officers approached, the divers retreated back into the water and disappeared. They abandoned the bags, which were handed to SAPS,” said law enforcement spokesperson Wayne Dyason.
On December 5, Marine Unit personnel threw back more than 200 lobsters found in nets in the Olifantsbos area of the Cape Point nature reserve.
In Melkbosstrand in September, the Law Enforcement Marine Unit Auxiliary members sprung into action after being informed by the Melkbos Anti Poaching Unit of poachers walking into the ocean towards the Culture Centre.
In total, 1 091 units of abalone ended up being recovered. A suspect was arrested for being illegally in possession of abalone.