“The vehicles were then spotted and kept under surveillance by the team. Later on, one of the vehicles was pulled over and seven bags of wet abalone were found in the boot. The driver was a foreign national and the abalone was seized,” said Hawks spokesperson Zinzi Hani.
“At the same time, the other identified vehicle was also pulled over and five suspects who are South African were arrested.”
Further investigation led the team to premises in Century City, Milnerton, used as an illegal abalone processing facility. Here, “a large quantity of wet and dried abalone was seized, as well as equipment being used to process abalone”.
The six, aged 26 to 60, face charges of illegal processing and possession of abalone.
Six in court after roadside bust leads to Cape Town 'abalone processing facility'
Image: 123RF/bedo
Six suspects were due to appear in the Cape Town regional court on Tuesday after a weekend abalone bust worth an estimated R2.8m.
The takedown unfolded on Sunday when members of the police national intervention unit reacted to information relayed by crime intelligence on two vehicles en route to Cape Town with a suspected consignment of abalone.
“The vehicles were then spotted and kept under surveillance by the team. Later on, one of the vehicles was pulled over and seven bags of wet abalone were found in the boot. The driver was a foreign national and the abalone was seized,” said Hawks spokesperson Zinzi Hani.
“At the same time, the other identified vehicle was also pulled over and five suspects who are South African were arrested.”
Further investigation led the team to premises in Century City, Milnerton, used as an illegal abalone processing facility. Here, “a large quantity of wet and dried abalone was seized, as well as equipment being used to process abalone”.
The six, aged 26 to 60, face charges of illegal processing and possession of abalone.
Image: SAPS
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