St Francis Chronicle, edited: Gqeberha K-9 members arrested six suspected abalone poachers and confiscated abalone and diving equipment yesterday, 1 October, at Schoenmakerskop.
area.
The K9 cops, who are clamping down on abalone activities in PE, say at about 7.30 am, K9 members received info about illegal abalone poaching activities at Sacramento Marine Drive. The cops conducting foot patrols noticed six divers in the water, who later left the water with four waste bags.
The cops approached the divers who quickly dropped the bags and started to run away. The cops gave chase and caught them all the divers, aged 34-46, and confiscated the waste bags that contained 322 unit of abalone worth R85 500.
The cops also confiscated the six wet-suits, six lots of diving gear consisting of BC Diving Cylinders, goggles snorkels and gloves, plus two cell phones.
The five suspects will appear in the Gqeberha Magistrate Court soon on charges of contravention the Marine Living Resource Act, 19 of 1998 Regulation 36 sub section 1 – illegal possession of abalone and illegal transport and possession of abalone.
Last month abalone worth R340k was seized by PE cops who two suspects in a container in Paarl Street, Greenfields, where R340k abalone were found in a search.
A monthly tabloid, community newspaper for St Francis and environs in the Eastern Cape of South Africa.
St Francis Chronicle 