Three arrested after raid on abalone processing warehouse

Three men were arrested in a police raid on a large abalone processing operation in Paarl on Tuesday.

Western Cape police spokesman Captain FC van Wyk said the raid on the warehouse  followed an investigation by the Boland K9 unit

Officers found numerous containers filled with shucked abalone, 50kg bags of salt, scales, cooking pots, gas cylinders and drying rooms.

The three men, all foreigners in their 20s, were allegedly found hiding in an upstairs room and were arrested on charges under the Living Marine Resources Act.

“Officials from the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries were summoned to the scene and are counting the abalone seized,” said Van Wyk.

“Detectives from provincial organised crime investigation were on the scene and are to investigate the matter. The three suspects will appear in Paarl Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.”