R1.9 million worth of Abalone seized from an illegal facility

WESTERN CAPE – Two suspects aged 27 and 44 are expected to appear at the Bellville Magistrate Court today for running an illicit abalone drying facility in Panorama.

The two suspects were arrested in a joint operation by the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation together with Crime Intelligence, NIU and officials from the Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF).

The multidisciplinary team seized both wet and dried abalone to an estimated street value of R1.9 million as well as drying equipment used to process abalone and a vehicle valued at R900 000 pending further investigations.

They were charged for contravening the Marine Living Resources Act, No. 18 of 1998 whilst an additional charge of contravention with the Immigrations Act, No.13 of 2002 was imposed on one of the suspects.