Police arrested a man and a woman with abalone worth millions in Mowbray, Cape Town on Friday.
Police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Andrè Trau, said the suspects in their thirties had abalone worth at an estimated R10 million.
Chance discovery of abalone processing at Mowbray house
During the early hours of Friday morning, police responded to a house robbery in Strubens Road, Mowbray.
That is when police officers noticed that the house was being used for abalone processing.
Lt Col Trau said that the officers, subsequently decided to search the premises.
“This led to the discovery of abalone and equipment to process abalone for export purposes,” he described.
“The suspects claimed that they were tied up by seven suspects.
“These suspects fled the scene with abalone.”
That was when they made alarm and notified police.
Lt Col Trau said that the suspects will make a court appearance in Wynberg on Monday. This is for the illegal possession of abalone.
Consequently, SAPS Western Cape Provincial Commissioner, Lt Gen KE Jula, commended the officers for their vigilance in fighting abalone poaching in the province.
