Members of the Overstrand Municipality’s Task Team arrested a 27-year-old man after he was pulled over in Voëlklip and found to be in possession of abalone worth an estimated R466 300.
Overstrand Municipal Manager Dean O’Neill reported that the Task Team members were busy conducting crime prevention patrols in Hermanus on Wednesday 29 May at about 22:00, when they spotted a suspicious vehicle speeding on the R43 at 7th Street in Voëlklip.
“They pulled over the vehicle with a CEM registration and found that it was transporting 1 560 abalone,” he said. “The weight of the shucked abalone was estimated at 187,9 kg. The driver was arrested, and the vehicle and abalone were confiscated and handed over to the Hermanus police.”
This comes two weeks after Law Enforcement officials confiscated more than 5 000 abalone with an estimated street value of R1,2 million after a high speed chase with an alleged abalone smuggler.
The suspect managed to evade arrest after he lost control of his white Nissan X-Trail and it landed on the vegetation on the traffic circle in Voëlklip. Both the vehicle and the abalone were handed over to the Hermanus police.
Captain Fadila September, spokesperson for the Hermanus police, confirmed an inquest docket was opened in connection with the abandoned abalone.
The suspect who was arrested in connection with last week’s abalone arrest has appeared in the Hermanus Magistrates’ Court on charges related to the contravention of the Marine Living Resources Act.
