Africa-Press – South-Africa. The police have confiscated more than 440 000 poached abalone in the Western Cape poaching hot spot area of the Overberg over the past five years.
During this period, 151 poachers have been convicted.
In a parliamentary question to Police Minister Bheki Cele, DA MP David Bryant said abalone and crayfish poaching remained a problem in the Overberg region “while there appears to be a lack of significant progress in defeating the syndicates”.
Bryant asked Cele what number of abalone and crayfish had been confiscated in the Overberg over the past five years, and the number of successful convictions for abalone and crayfish poaching in the area over the same time period.
He also asked whether the poached abalone had been resold, and if so, to whom, and whether the poaching syndicates were known to police.
Man arrested in Caledon for allegedly transporting abalone worth R1.2m
Cele answered 8 301 whole poached crayfish were confiscated, 15 089 crayfish tails and 441 847 abalone were confiscated.
During the five years, there were 84 convictions for crayfish poaching and 151 for abalone poaching.
“All confiscated abalone and crayfish are handed over to the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries for immediate storage. After the conclusion of the criminal case, it is sold/auctioned by the said department,” Cele said.
In response to Bryant’s question about whether the syndicates are known to the police, Cele said “specific groupings” have been identified and they were being investigated in terms of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act.
In October last year, the police confiscated abalone worth R20 million and arrested nine alleged members of a Western Cape poaching ring, News24 reported at the time.
Nine arrested, abalone worth more than R20 million seized in Cape Town raids
The Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation team, together with the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, Crime Intelligence and police K9 Overberg Cluster were involved in the operation.
In August 2021, a man was arrested in Caledon for allegedly transporting 2 929 abalone worth R1.2 million on the N2.
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