Hawks bust multi-million rand abalone facility in Killarney Gardens

Four suspects have been arrested for a huge abalone bust worth millions of rand.  

A team of law enforcement agencies, including the Hawks, handcuffed the suspects in Killarney Gardens this week.

Abalone operation

Western Cape Hawks spokesperson, Zinzi Hani, said the suspects were allegedly running an abalone processing facility.

“The team found 8 993 units of wet abalone weighing about 2 475kg, kept in plastic buckets, with an estimated street value of more than R4,5 million.

“Four suspects, aged between 24 and 39, were subsequently arrested and are expected to appear in the Cape Town Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, 4 January 2023,” she said.

KZN shootout

Meanwhile, five suspects are recovering in hospital under police guard after their attempts to evade arrest resulted in an accident on Umbilo Road in KwaZulu-Natal on Tuesday.

Police said the Umbilo Task Team were patrolling along Feilden Drive, when they spotted a vehicle with six occupants.

Spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said the vehicle was positively identified as one which was reported to have been involved in a house robbery in the Malvern area earlier in the day.

“With the suspects defying police’s instruction to stop, a high-speed chase ensued. The suspects drove into the oncoming traffic on Umbilo Road and collided head-on with a horse and trailer.

“The driver of the suspect’s vehicle succumbed to his injuries at the scene and the other five suspects were arrested and taken to hospital for treatment.”

Crimes

The suspects were found in possession of three firearms and 19 rounds of ammunition. Two of the firearms were positively linked to house robbery cases in Malvern and Pinetown, allegedly committed in December 2022,” Netshiunda said.

Netshiunda added that the five suspects, aged between 20 and 27, are expected to appear in court soon.

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