R3.8m perlemoen seized in raid

2003-05-23 12:42

Cape Town - Police attached to the Western Cape's organised crime unit and helped by border police have seized 16 500 frozen perlemoen (abalone) in a factory raid in Parow.

Superintendent Riaan Pool said the frozen perlemoen was worth about R3.8m.

The factory in Jones Street had been under observation for a few days as part of an investigation into the illegal activities of a perlemoen syndicate.

Pool said police found a large fridge packed with 112 boxes, each containing a plastic bag with frozen perlemoen on the premises, ready for shipment.

According to investigating officers the boxes of perlemoen were to have been transported to Johannesburg and from there flown to the Far East.

Chinese triads involved, say cops

The commanding officer of the organised crime unit, senior superintendent Johan Marais said no one had been arrested during the raid.

Marais said Thursday night's seizure formed part of a bigger investigation into the activities of a certain syndicate.

"The suspects have been identified and will be arrested as soon as the investigation nears finalisation," Marais said.

National director for public prosecutions Bulelani Ngcuka said on Thursday that Chinese triads were paying for perlemoen with drugs.

He said the triads, who ravaged the country's perlemoen, were also flooding the local market with Mandrax.

"They exchange the Mandrax for perlemoen, which is then exported to Taiwan and China, where it is considered an aphrodisiac," Ngcuka told a Business Against Crime breakfast in Johannesburg.

- SAPA