Perlemoen worth R1m seized
2003-02-18 15:33
Cape Town - A Chinese man living in South Africa was arrested and 6 819 dried perlemoen (abalone) worth more than R1m seized when officials from Operation Neptune swooped on a business premises in Epping Industria near Cape Town on Tuesday.
Police spokesperson Inspector Eben Groenewald said Operation Neptune officials - the anti-poaching unit comprising police, marine and coastal management and the SA National Defence Force - swooped on the business premises shortly after midnight.
Groenewald said equipment used for drying the abalone was also confiscated.
The deputy area commissioner for the Boland, Vincent Beaton, said he was concerned about the proportions perlemoen smuggling had reached in South Africa.
He appealed to the public to report suspected perlemoen smuggling activities to Operation Neptune - however trivial they might appear to be.
- SAPA