A swift response by Hermanus police has ensured that a man caught transporting illegal abalone spent the weekend behind bars, Western Cape police said on Sunday.
Police arrested the suspect while he was off-loading a huge amount of abalone in the bushes in the Hermanus area, east of Cape Town on Friday, Sergeant Noloyiso Rwexana said.
A total of 5 138 units of abalone worth an estimated R500 000 were seized. Two vehicles and two handheld radios were also confiscated.
A 31-year-old man has been arrested and is expected to appear in the Hermanus Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
“By arresting the runners in this illegal industry the police are creating an opportunity to get to the kingpins in order to stop the depletion of our marine resources,” Rwexana said.
#sapsWC Swift response by members of #SAPS Hermanus led to the arrest of a suspect (31) for the possession of 5138 units of abalone, worth to an estimated street value of R500 000. The abalone, two vehicles and two hand radios were confiscated. SW pic.twitter.com/mX7jQtKlne
— SA Police Service (@SAPoliceService) 18 February 2018
![[File Image] Abalone seen in packets.](https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/sabc-news-abalone-sap.gov1_-300x169.jpg)