Provincial Traffic Officials arrested a 27-year old suspect who was found in possession of abalone worth an estimated R 750 000.
Western Cape Provincial Traffic inspectors showed their mettle when they arrested an alleged abalone poacher after chasing him on foot last week.
Muneera Allie, spokesperson for the Western Cape Mobility Department, reported that the eagle-eyed officers pulled over a suspicious grey Mercedes Benz that had been driving at a high speed along the R316 near Caledon last Wednesday (11 September).
“The suspect jumped out and fled on foot. One of the inspectors ran after the suspect, while the other followed in the official vehicle. After racing about 350 m, the running inspector caught up with the suspect and arrested him. When the car was searched, the traffic inspectors found abalone to the value of R750 000 on the back seat. The suspect was handed over to the police.”
Western Cape Minister of Mobility, Isaac Sileku, congratulated the traffic inspectors for their zero tolerance against crime and for their dedication in arresting the suspect. He added: “The officers embodied what mobility in action looks like. If you can’t apprehend a suspect with a vehicle, do it on foot. Abalone is a protected species in South Africa. The harvesting and trading of it without a permit is illegal. Our traffic and law enforcement units can support the conservation of abalone by making it as difficult as possible for it to be trans-ported on our roads.”
Major General Miriam Mochologi, District Commissioner of the Police in the Overberg, confirmed that a 27-year-old male suspect was arrested for the possession of a huge quantity of abalone. “The vehicle and other belongings were confiscated. The suspect appeared in court and remains in custody until his bail application.”
Overstrand Law Enforcement officials also had huge successes in the fight against poaching.
Overstrand Municipal Manager Dean O’Neill reports a suspect was arrested during an operation on the R43 near Honingklip, when the Rapid Response Unit discovered 466 whole WCRL, 2 012 tails and 221 tails with eggs, in the car.
The suspect was charged for the illegal possession and transportation of an excessive amount of WCRL and tails.
In Gansbaai, a Law Enforcement officer arrested a suspect with 74 alikreukel and one undersized abalone. Further down the coast, the Task Team arrested a man from Kleinmond with 25 abalone and 11 alikreukels found in shopping bags. Last Sunday, the Task Team confis-cated 3 277 shucked abalone and a silver BMW on the R43 near Misty Mountains. A 33-year-old man from Gansbaai was arrested and handed over to the Stanford Police.
“Another big arrest was made along the N2 near Langhoogte, when a provincial traffic officer requested assistance to stop a suspicious looking vehicle,” said O’Neill. Task Team members who responded discovered 17 clear bags containing 2 466 units of abalone hidden under a black plastic sheet inside the silver Toyota Etios with a CY registration number.
On Sunday (15 September), the Municipality’s Task Team and the Marine and Coastal Unit arrested four men during an integrated operation for allegedly harvesting 202 live WCRL in the restricted zone of the Kleinmond Marine Protected Area without a permit. The officers also confiscated their boat.
“Catching undersized lobster outside of season affects their life cycle as the crayfish is still in a growing stage and had not yet reached the maturity,” O’Neill stated. “This has a negative impact on reproduction.”
Bianca Du Plessis
www.news24.com
