Four suspects were arrested on Friday, 17 July 2026, on charges of possessing abalone without a permit and the illegal transportation of abalone.

The City’s metro police made the arrests after acting on a tip-off that two vehicles were allegedly transporting abalone in the Simon’s Town area.

Spokesperson Ruth Solomons said officers traced the vehicles and intercepted them while they were travelling along Clovelly Road in Fish Hoek.

“Officers conducted a stop and search operation that revealed 179 unshucked and 200 shucked abalone, weighing nearly 90 kilograms, with an estimated street value of just under R80 000.”

Solomons confirmed that both vehicles were impounded and taken to the Bellville South Vehicle Impound, while the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment was activated to take custody of the confiscated marine resources.

The latest bust comes just days after three suspects were arrested in a similar operation along Victoria Road in Camps Bay, highlighting the City’s ongoing crackdown on the illegal abalone trade.