SAPS
Four men from East London are in police custody following their arrest by an off duty police officer for allegedly poaching abalone in Port Alfred on Tuesday.
Police spokesperson, Captain Mali Govender, said the officer who was on leave received information about possible poachers in the Kasouga area around midday.
She said he immediately proceeded to the Kasouga Beach where he conducted a foot patrol, before noticing and following tracks going from the sea towards the dunes.
Mali said the dunes led him into the dense sea bush where he came across five men sitting around the campfire, with diving suits hanging in the trees nearby.
She says one suspect managed to flee on foot, but the other four were arrested.
The four men, aged between 22 and 32 were will appear in the Port Alfred Magistrate Court later this week.
Mali said one live round R5 rifle was found in a diving bag, while five bags with 68 abalone shells worth at least R13 000 were seized.
Last week, police in St Francis Bay arrested six men who were found in possession of diving equipment and three large bags of abalone containing over 320 units of abalone worth a street value of at least R18 000.
