Two men have been busted with R1.17 million worth of abalone in Kuils River.
The men, aged 38 and 43, were arrested on Monday during an operation by the Hawks’ serious organised crime investigation team in Bellville, crime intelligence and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment.
Zinzi Hani, spokesperson for the Hawks, said the suspects were arrested at Soneike in Kuils River after the team acted on information about a vehicle which was suspected to be transporting abalone, reports the Weekend Argus.
“The men were caught in possession of abalone weighing more than 638 kilograms with an estimated street value of over R1.17m.
“The suspects were charged with illegal possession of abalone and they are expected to appear before the Kuils River Magistrate’s Court [on] November 2,” said Hani.
This comes two months after a Chinese national, Lifu Chen, pleaded guilty at Blue Downs Magistrate’s Court to charges of illegal possession and transporting of abalone worth R1.4m.
Chen was further charged in terms of the Immigration Act and received a wholly suspended sentence of 36 months’ imprisonment with an option to pay a R50 000 fine for illegal possession of abalone.
Chen was caught during a search and seizure operation by the Hawks’ serious organised crime investigation team with the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment in the Kraaifontein area near Mikpunt in August.
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