Abalone worth nearly R2m seized by Western Cape police

Abalone with a street value of nearly R2m was seized by Western Cape police after two men were found in possession of an illegal consignment.

The duo, aged 26 and 36, were expected to appear in the Blue Downs magistrate's court in Cape Town on Monday for possession of abalone.

The SA National Biodiversity Institute said “increasing pressure put on SA abalone by both legal and illegal harvesting had led to the banning of abalone harvesting”.

According to Traffic.org, syndicates operate a “lucrative and highly criminalised black market to East Asia, where consumers pay hundreds of dollars per kilogram”.      

Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Joseph Swartbooi said Brackenfell police were conducting patrols on Sunday when they spotted boxes being loaded onto a truck.

“The members called for backup and managed to stop the truck and inspected the cargo.”

Swartbooi said 12 boxes containing dead abalone with a street value of nearly R2m were confiscated and the two men arrested.

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