Two suspects in court for running illegal abalone processing facility
Police say the suspects are expected to appear in court on Wednesday for a formal bail application.
A male suspect managed to escape while the female suspect was apprehended and handed over to the police for further investigations. Picture: iStock
Police in the Western Cape have arrested two suspects for allegedly running an abalone processing facility.
Police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Philani Nkwalase said the two suspects, Chen Zhuang (29) and Mohammed Hussein (28) appeared in the Paarl Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
“Initially Zhuang and Hussein were arrested by the Paarl Visible Policing members who stopped and searched a suspicious vehicle. The driver and passenger jumped out of the vehicle and fled on foot however police gave chase and arrested both suspects. The vehicle was searched and about 8,250 stripped abalone was found inside. Both the vehicle and abalone were seized by the local police for further investigation.
“The Hawks Serious Organised Crime Investigation was roped in which led them to the suspects’ premises at St Francis Avenue. A fully operational abalone drying facility with processing equipment and more dried abalone was uncovered worth an all-inclusive value exceeding R1.3 million.
“The suspects are expected to appear in the same court on Wednesday, 10 June 2020 for a formal bail application.”
(Compiled by Makhosandile Zulu)
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