Western Cape police make over R2 million abalone bust
This comes after police received a tip-off about a trucks enroute to Cape Town transporting abalone.
Two abalone peddlers were arrested by SAPS members on the N1 national road near Worcester in two separate incidents on 11 September 2024. SAPS
CAPE TOWN - Western Cape police have made a massive abalone bust.
Officers arrested two suspects who were found in possession of abalone worth over R2-million on the N1 near Worcester.
This comes after police received a tip-off about a truck enroute to Cape Town transporting abalone.
Police spokesperson Frederick Van Wyk said that the first suspect was nabbed at Meirings Park after officers stopped the truck he was travelling in.
"Abalone was found inside the cabin of the truck by K9 Layla, a protected species detection dog. Further searches were conducted by Layla resulted in more bags being discovered in a compartment attached to the outside of the truck. A total amount of 4582 dried abalone with an estimated street value of R2 million was confiscated by the members."
Van Wyk said that a second suspect, transporting abalone in a different truck, was arrested shortly afterwards.
"On the same day, information was received of another truck, also transporting abalone from Cape Town. Worcester Anti-Gang Unit (AGU) responded to the information and pulled over the truck on the N1. The members conducted a search and discovered 960 dried abalone to the estimated value of R468 105,00 inside the cabin of the truck."
The suspects are expected to appear in the Worcester Magistrate's Court on Thursday.