Bail granted for several smuggling ring accused
SEVERAL people – including government officials – allegedly involved in a large perlemoen smuggling network were granted bail in the Cape Town District Court yesterday.
Of the nine Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) personnel believed to have converted the anti-poaching office in Gansbaai into a criminal enterprise‚ only two did not receive bail.
The rest were released on R20 000 bail each‚ with strict travel conditions‚ and were ordered to show their faces at their nearest police stations three times a week.
The bail information for the nine alleged perlemoen smuggling “kingpins”‚ who appeared with the DAFF officials‚ includes a long list of previous convictions‚ many related to perlemoen smuggling.
At least one of them is also alleged to be involved in the high-profile investigation into the murder of Minstrel boss and perlemoen smuggling kingpin Russel Jacobs.
Jacobs was gunned down in Blue Downs last year at his scrapyard. It was reported that‚ at the time‚ he faced charges of racketeering related to perlemoen smuggling and a money-laundering case.
Only three of the men did not receive bail. Five were released on R50 000 bail each‚ while another received R30 000 bail.
The group was arrested earlier this year in an undercover police operation aimed at taking down the syndicates that have wreaked havoc on perlemoen stocks between Cape Town and Cape Aghulas.
The rampant poaching has been linked to the spread of drugs and petty theft and robbery. – TimesLIVE