Four Chinese-flagged fishing vessels (Zhong Yang 231, 232, 233, and 239) were nabbed by a joint policing team, for unauthorised entry into South African waters.
The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), in collaboration with the HAWKS and SAPS, said the fugitives are linked to a transnational wildlife trafficking syndicate.
They were tracked from the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) coast to the Eastern Cape, where their vessels were found to have switched off their tracking systems (AIS)—a serious safety and regulatory violation.
The suspects were arrested by a tactical operation in Heidelberg and are facing charges under the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act (NEMBA).
Willie Aucamp, Minister of DAFF, said “this arrest underscores our commitment to dismantling the syndicates that threaten our natural heritage. Justice is being served.”
He also said “South Africa will not tolerate the unlawful use of its maritime zones. Compliance is non-negotiable.”
The vessels were closely monitored at the Port of Cape Town, and owners had to folk out an administrative fine of about R400,000.
Picture: Supplied