Two suspects arrested for R5.5 million Abalone haul

Two suspects aged 40 and 34 are expected to appear at the Cape Town Magistrate Court on Monday, 11 March 2019, following an intelligence driven operation where an estimated R5.5 million worth of abalone was seized.

The Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation unit together with Crime Intelligence Unit and officials from The Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) conducted a joint search and seizure disruptive operation at Canal Walk, in Century City, Cape Town.

The team seized (983kg) of dried abalone valued at R5 406 500.00, 68.9kg of wet abalone value R103 350.00, processing equipment and a luxury vehicle which will be subjected to further investigations.

Meanwhile, three suspects Nonhlele Tityala (52), Siyanda Ndamane (24) and Sibabalwe Fako (23) are out on R5000 bail each following their arrest for alleged illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.

The trio was arrested on Tuesday, 6 March 2019, in a joint operation carried out by the Hawks’ National Bureau for Illegal Firearms Control and Priority Violent Crime (NBIFCPVC) and the Anti-Gang Unit members in Khayelitsha on Tuesday.

The team found one shotgun at the premises as well as various assorted rounds of ammunition for pistols, shotgun and rifles. The team also managed to seize several items used to replenish bullets as well as primers, bullet points and empty cartridges. The suspects’ premises is allegedly used to manufacture ammunition.

Tityala, Ndamane and Fako are expected back at the Khayelitsha Magistrate’s Court on 21 May 2019.