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[FILE] Agriculture Minister revealed that abalone worth a total of R16-million was stolen at gunpoint from the Department’s abalone stores – in three attacks since 2015.
Three suspects have been arrested in Thornton near Goodwood in Cape Town after being found in possession of illegal abalone valued at more than R2.5 million.
Hawks spokesperson Siyabulela Vukubi says the arrests followed a search operation at a premises in the area, based on a tip-off about an abalone drying facility.
Vukubi says officers found two suspects outside the property loading containers of abalone into a bakkie. Further investigation led to the arrest of a third suspect, while a fourth suspect evaded arrest.
Authorities seized approximately 3 400 wet abalone and about 6 000 dried abalone.
The suspects are expected to appear in the Goodwood Magistrate’s Court.
The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment says it is illegal to possess, harvest or trade wild abalone without a permit due to the species being driven close to extinction by widespread poaching.
A ban on wild harvesting was introduced in 2008 following a sharp decline in abalone stocks. Authorities say strict regulations remain in place to support conservation efforts and allow the species to recover.
