The City of Cape Town’s Metro Police officers arrested three suspects after they recovered a large quantity of abalone during an operation in Camps Bay early on Tuesday morning.
At approximately 05:30, Metro Police members reportedly acted on information about two vehicles allegedly involved in collecting abalone in the Camps Bay area.
According to Metro Police spokesperson Ruth Solomons, officers immediately responded and conducted patrols along Victoria Road, where they located the two vehicles travelling together. The vehicles were tactically stopped, and three suspects were detained.
A thorough search of both vehicles led to the recovery of a large quantity of abalone. The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) was notified and responded to the scene.
The suspects, aged between 27 and 34, were arrested and taken to Camps Bay Police Station. They have been detained on charges of possession of abalone without a permit and transporting abalone without a permit.
In total, officers recovered 223 unshucked abalone and 279 shucked abalone. The value of the recovered abalone is still to be determined by the DFFE.
“The two vehicles used in the commission of the offence were impounded and taken to the Bellville South Vehicle Impound,” added Solomons
The arrests and seizure follow a targeted operation by Metro Police after receiving information about the alleged illegal harvesting and transportation of abalone in the Camps Bay area.
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