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Alleged abalone syndicate to appear in court

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Seventeen alleged members of an abalone poaching syndicate are expected to appear in the Cape Town Regional Court on Tuesday.

The alleged syndicate members were arrested last month in Gansbaai. They briefly appeared in the Cape Town regional court last week Tuesday.

They face more than 100 charges ranging from racketeering, corruption and defeating the ends of justice.

The alleged syndicate members include nine marine inspectors from the Department of Fisheries.

They allegedly operated in Gansbaai, Hermanus, Hawston, Bredasdorp, Stanford, Pearly Beach and Kuilsriver.

Meanwhile, the Standing Committee on Economic Opportunities at the Western Cape Provincial Parliament has called on the National Department of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries to appear before the committee to account for allegations of corruption related to abalone poaching.

Last month, The Hawks arrested nine DAFF officials in Gansbaai alleged to be linked to an abalone poaching syndicate.

Chairperson for the Standing Committee, Beverly Schafer says the latest allegations are contained in a media report about the deliberate derailing of an undercover operation of an international abalone poaching network by a government official.

 

“With the recent allegations that has been in The Times media article around DAFF officials, particularly involved in these corrupt activities, we are extremely concerned. The impact of poaching not only affects the resources available in this province for economy for jobs, for growth but it really has an impact on the lives of people who live along the sea.”

 

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