Cape Town - Police have made one of the biggest abalone busts in recent years, arresting three suspects in Rylands, and recovering thousands of wet and dry abalone worth R10.3 million.
SAPS officials attached to the Provincial Tactical Response Team were on Sunday pursuing a lead about a suspected abalone syndicate operating in the industrial area of Rylands, near Philippi.
Police spokesperson Malcom Pojie said: “Members of the TRT (tactical response team) acted on information about an abalone storage facility, which led them to an address in the area.
“On arrival at the address, officials noticed how a suspect, who stood at the entrance gate to the premises, attempted to run away when he saw officers approach the building.
“However, members in hot pursuit managed to apprehend the suspect, which led them to discover a massive storage facility that had been converted into an abalone process facility.”
Pojie said police arrested two Zimbabwean nationals and one Chinese national at the scene of the crime.
“Further inspection of the premises led to the discovery and confiscation of 11 485 wet and 15 200 dry abalone as well as equipment estimated to be worth R10.3 million.
“Following their arrest, the three suspects are scheduled to appear in the Athlone Magistrate’s Court for the illegal possession of abalone.
“Police in the Western Cape are pulling the net tighter and tighter to eradicate the illegal distribution and depletion of living marine resources, which threatens the economy of the country and contributes to the commission of serious crime,” Pojie said.
Rylands ward councillor Aslam Cassiem said that the bust came as a surprise to the community, which is not used to having incidents of crime involving the illegal peddling of abalone.
“While the major bust is one of the first of its kind we have had here in our area, we’re still very happy that police were able to trace such activity and make the necessary arrests,” Cassiem said.
“This bust sends the correct message to those who think they can perpetrate crime in our communities without reproach and for those who think peddling protected and endangered species is okay.”
In a separate incident, another TRT platoon deployed in Nyanga seized a VW Caddy and 2 505 units of abalone last week, which were found abandoned as the suspect fled the scene and was yet to be arrested.
The two operations also follow after police arrested two suspects on the N1 near Worcester for the unlawful possession of abalone worth more than R2 million.
Cape Argus