Abalone valued at an estimated R10, 3 million, was confiscated by the police, near Philippi, in Cape Town, on Sunday.
Police discovered and confiscated about 11, 485 wet and 15, 200 dry abalone, as well as equipment, at a storage facility, in Rylands.
Leutenant Colonel Malcolm Pojie, Spokesperson of the police, said the Western Cape’s Provincial Tactical Response Team (TRT), acted on a tip off, which led them to an abalone storage facility.
Three suspects were arrested there, on Sunday, a 53-year-old Chinese national and two Zimbabwean nationals aged, 28 and 31 years old.
This is the second time, in a week, that abalone related busts were made in the Western Cape.
Potjie detailed events leading to the arrest, “upon arrival at the address, members noticed how a suspect who stood at the entrance gate to the premises, attempted to run away when he saw the police approaching.
The police headed to the Chinese national and discovered a massive storage building which was converted into an abalone process facility.”
Potjie said two Zimbabwean nationals, were also arrested, inside the facility, whilst busy processing a substantial quantity of wet and dry abalone.
The three suspects are scheduled to appear in the Athlone Magistrates’ court on Tuesday, 17 September 2024 for the illegal possession of abalone.
He also said simultaneously, another TRT platoon deployed in Nyanga, seized a VW Caddy and about 2505 units of abalone, found abandoned, as the suspect fled the scene and is still at large.
Picture: Supplied