WATCH | Suspected abalone poachers arrested after high-speed Cape Town chase - IOL
Metro Police officers arrest suspected abalone poachers after a high-speed chase through Sea Point.
A high-speed chase through the streets of Cape Town ended with suspected abalone poachers being cornered by police on Wednesday.
Dramatic footage shows Metro Police and plain-clothes officers swooping in, with one suspect pinned to the road as officers box in the getaway vehicle and attempt to pull its occupants from the car.
The policeman on the driver's side tries to open the door but is unsuccessful. The car then reverses with the back passenger door still open and a policeman points his firearm at one of the occupants seated at the back. The vehicle then speeds off with police firing a shot at the tyres in an attempt to stop it
According to police, they conducted a proactive, intelligence-led operation targeting suspected illegal abalone poaching.The operation began in Camps Bay following information received. The suspect vehicle was pursued and initially stopped in Regent Road, outside the Point Centre, where Metro Police officers engaged it.
The driver then manoeuvred out of the blockade and fled up Kei Apple Road in Sea Point.The vehicle eventually crashed into the pavement, and the occupants were apprehended shortly thereafter by Metro Police. Abalone was recovered during the operation. Police have not released the quantity of abalone recovered.
Heather Tager, Chief Operating Officer of the Sea Point City Improvement District (CID), commended the Metro Police officers and Intelligence Unit for their excellent work in bringing the suspects to book.
“Illegal abalone poaching remains a serious concern along the Atlantic Seaboard, and proactive enforcement is essential. The South African Police Service, also made arrests and were the unit that recovered the abalone from a second vehicle involved. The Sea Point CID said they will assist the City by providing relevant CCTV footage from our area-wide camera network to support the investigation,"Tager said.
Apart from several sizeable busts in recent weeks, the unit within the City’s Law Enforcement Department has also seen a notable increase in proactive patrols and checkpoints. The Marine Unit is one of the specialised units within Law Enforcement. They have 15 uniformed staff members, assisted by a small group of volunteers.
Police confiscated marine resources with an estimated street value of R500,000 in Hout Bay, Cape Town on Monday, 21 September.
On Monday, September 21, a 38-year-old man was arrested by police and marine resources with an estimated street value of R500,000 was confiscated. Police found a large quantity of lobsters, abalone, prawns and lobster eggs allegedly concealed in plastic bags inside a large freezer at an identified premises.
Provincial police spokesperson Captain Frederick van Wyk said members of the Anti-Economic Crime Task Team and Counterfeit and Illicit Policing Team acted on information received before searching the premises. The Department of Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment was called to the scene, where officials counted and confirmed the exhibits.
The suspect was arrested on charges of contravening the Marine Living Resources Act and detained at Hout Bay SAPS. He is expected to appear in the Wynberg Magistrates’ Court.
