This archive report was first published on 15 October 2021.
On October 14, 2021, a multi-agency team of law enforcement officers in South Africa conducted a successful sting operation in Cape Town, resulting in the arrest of nine foreign nationals, including a 23-year-old Kenyan man.
The suspects were apprehended in two separate raids, with the security team recovering dried abalone valued at Ksh48.8 million (R6.5 million) in the first raid, and an additional R13 million (Ksh101.3 million) worth of abalone and equipment in the second raid.
According to the Hawks spokesperson, Zinzi Hani, the team seized a total of R20.2 million worth of abalone, which is equivalent to Ksh150 million.
The suspects, who are believed to be members of a larger smuggling ring, were arrested in collaboration with the Department of Environmental Affairs, Crime Intelligence, and SAPS K9 Overberg Cluster.
Four of the suspects were apprehended for allegedly operating an illegal abalone processing facility in Welgemoed, and all nine appeared before the Bellville Magistrate's Court on October 14, 2021.
