Shortly after 07:00 on Wednesday morning, 11 September 2024, two traffic inspectors from the Western Cape Mobility Department participated in the arrest of an alleged abalone poacher on the R316 near Caledon.
The inspectors were patrolling the road when they saw a suspicious grey Mercedes-Benz driving at a high speed. The inspectors immediately pulled the vehicle over, at which point the suspect jumped out and fled on foot.
One of the inspectors ran after the suspect, while the other followed them in the official vehicle. After a footrace of about 350m, the running inspector caught up with the suspect and arrested him.
When the car was searched, the traffic inspectors found abalone to the value of R750 000 on the backseat.
The suspect was handed over to the officials of the South African Police Service.
Western Cape Minister of Mobility, Isaac Sileku, congratulated the Western Cape traffic inspectors for their zero tolerance against crime and for their dedication in arresting the suspect.
“The officers embodied what mobility in action looks like. If you can’t apprehend a suspect with a vehicle, do it by foot. Abalone is a protected species in South Africa, and the harvesting and trading of it without a permit is illegal. Our traffic and law enforcement units can support the conservation of abalone by making it as difficult as possible for it to be transported on our roads. I thank the two inspectors and our traffic and law enforcement units for their dedicated efforts to combat crime, protecting our environment and keeping Western Cape roads safe,” Minister Sileku said.
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