The investigating officer in the trial against three Chinese Nationals charged in connection with the illegal exportation of abalone on Wednesday testified how police had intercepted two shipping containers and confiscated abalone which had been destined for the Asian markets.
Warrant Officer Leon Eksteen testified against Kai Ou Yang, 65, Chu-Kai Chang, 48, and Hsien-Chu Ou Yang in her capacity as a member of Blue Fin Marine Trading CC in the Gqeberha High Court.
The trio have been charged in connection with the illegal exportation of about 40 tons of abalone valued at R100 million and face charges of fraud, racketeering, money laundering, and the contravention of the Marine Living Resources Act.
They were arrested in February 2022 after a police investigation that started in 2017 uncovered that abalone was allegedly being shipped illegally via the Cape Town, Durban, and Port Elizabeth Harbours.
The abalone is said to have been destined for the Asian markets.
Also read: Chinese nationals on trial for R100m abalone seizure in GQ High Court
Eksteen testified that police searched and unpacked a container in the Port Elizabeth Harbour on 26 January 2018.
745 Boxes of wet frozen abalone, 155 boxes of dried abalone, and 101 boxes labeled "animal bones" were seized.
According to Eksteen, the boxes that contained abalone were marked with colour-coded stickers which indicated the different forms of perlemoen and their size.
He said the boxes that contained meat products were sealed with white straps, and it was evident that the boxes that contained abalone were not packed at an abattoir.
The court heard that during the search at the Port Elizabeth Harbour, police got wind of another container already en-route to Asia.
Eksteen testified that the necessary paperwork was submitted for the container to be returned and that it arrived at the Durban Harbour on 19 February.
As a result of this search, 158 10kg boxes of frozen abalone and 756 10kg boxes of ox bones were seized.
According to Eksteen, both containers were shipped by Blue Fin Marine Trading.
The trial continues.
