Recent success in abalone busts worth R13m
THE Department of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries (Daff) says it is making inroads in the fight against abalone poaching following the recent arrests of suspects for the possession of the shellfish worth nearly R13 million.
The latest bust was last week, when two people were arrested in Blackheath for being in possession of abalone worth R10 million.
Police spokesperson Noloyiso Rwexana said a tip-off had led the police to catch the suspects, aged 24 and 31, redhanded. They appeared in the Blue Downs Magistrate’s Court on Friday.
Eight days prior to those arrests, two suspects aged 27 and 29 were arrested during a Philippi bust. The suspects were caught with dry abalone with an estimated value of R2.8m. The abalone was sealed in boxes.
On August 14 a bust in Netreg led to a shootout after police found R8m during a raid in the area.The owner of a house in Oleander Street was arrested for poached abalone.
Daff said perpetrators are arrested from the coast as well, if they are found to be in illegal possession of abalone.
“The protection of Marine Living Resources, including abalone, is one of the priorities of the department. Daff is part of Operation Phakisa for the Ocean Economy,” it said.
Operation Phakisa was designed to fast-track the implementation of solutions for, among others, bringing economic transformation.
As part of the implementation, a total of R17.7 billion in investment has been accomplished for the ocean economy process in five initial areas: offshore oil and gas, aquaculture, marine manufacturing and transport, oceans governance and tourism.
“Daff has managed, through Operation Phakisa for the Ocean Economy, to sensitise other law enforcement stakeholders about the importance of protecting the marine living resources. Our partnership with the other law enforcement agencies is bearing good results as evidenced by more arrests and confiscations of illegally possessed abalone.”
Recent investigations by the provincial standing committee on Economic Opportunities, Tourism and Agriculture, showed youth in coastal towns have identified abalone poaching as an easy way out of poverty. According to the report, poached abalone is sold to international crime syndicates in exchange for drugs, and syndicates receive assistance from gangs who control the drug trade.