Western Cape: Yesterday morning, Tuesday 28 February, members from the Cape Town K9 Unit received information of a vehicle allegedly transporting illegal marine resources from Hermanus to Cape Town.
At approximately 06:25, they spotted the vehicle, a white Opel Corsa LDV fitted with a canopy, on the N2 coming down Sir Lowry’s pass and pulled it from the road. Under a duvet, in the back of the vehicle they found numerous bags containing West Coast Rock Lobster tails. The driver of the vehicle, a 57 year old man from Mitchells Plain, was arrested and detained at Gordon’s Bay police station, where the lobster tails were counted by officials from the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. It amounted to 2 077 tails with an estimated value of R40 000. The vehicle was also seized.
The arrested individual is to appear in the Strand Magistrates Court on Wednesday on charges under the Living Marine Resources Act, including the possession and transportation of West Coast Rock Lobster without a permit.
Much later the morning the same members from the Cape Town K9 Unit again responded to information and at approximately 11:40 pulled over a Kia 2.7 Workhorse LDV, loaded with scrap metal, on the N2 also coming down from Sir Lowry’s Pass. Upon searching the vehicle they recovered three large bags containing fresh West Coast Rock Lobsters which was concealed under the scrap metal.
Three men from Botrivier, aged 22, 37 and 51 respectively, were arrested and also detained at Gordon’s Bay police station where the lobsters were counted. It amounted to 223 West Coast Rock Lobsters with an estimated value of R7 000. The Kia LDV was also seized.
These men are also due to appear in the Strand Magistrates Court on Wednesday on charges under the Living Marine Resources Act.
Arrest made after alleged illegal transport of marine resources https://t.co/iQQAEY6LLW @SAPoliceService pic.twitter.com/pfvXV7J5la
— Arrive Alive (@_ArriveAlive) March 1, 2017