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Western Cape police announced the arrest of a Chinese national and two Zimbabweans following the discovery of an abalone processing plant in Phillipi in Cape Town.
Police spokesperson, Lieutenant-Colonel Malcolm Pojie, said the arrests were made on Sunday by members of the Tactical Response Team, adding that the bust is believed to be the biggest in the province in recent years.
He said TRT members were acting on information about an abalone storage facility which led them to an address in the industrial area of Rylands near Philippi.
“Upon arrival at the address, members noticed how a suspect who stood at the entrance gate to the premises, attempted to run away when he noticed the members approaching.
“The members, in hot pursuit, managed to apprehend the suspect, a Chinese national and discovered a massive storage building which was converted into an abalone process facility.
“The members also apprehended two Zimbabwean nationals who were found inside the facility, busy processing a substantial quantity of wet and dry abalone,” Pojie said.
He said police seized “11 485 wet and 15 200 dry abalone as well as equipment with a total estimated value of R10.3 million”.
The three will appear in the Athlone magistrates’ court on Tuesday.
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