Jeffrey’s Bay – Police have made a major breakthrough in the illicit trade of abalone following the arrest of ten (10) suspects for abalone poaching. The suspects were nabbed after police acted on information from a member of the public yesterday.
On Friday, 13 November 2020 at about 00:10, members from Jeffreys Bay Stock Theft and Endangered Species with the assistance of a private company pounced on the unsuspecting men who were busy poaching abalone in the main beach. Nine uncleaned abalone were found stashed in the bushes near Pagoda Street, Jeffreys Bay.
Police also seized diving suits, and two vehicles for further investigation.
The ten suspects aged between 29 and 42 are due to appear in the Humansdorp Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 16 November 2020 on charges of illegal possession of abalone.
Eastern Cape Provincial Commissioner Lt Gen Liziwe Ntshinga commended the arrest. “Millions are stolen from our natural resources by organized criminal groupings like this arrested ten suspects,” she said.