GQEBERHA – The SAPS Gqeberha K9 Unit arrested two suspects in unrelated cases, one suspect was arrested on charges under the Criminal Matters Amendment Act 18 of 2015 in Deal Party and another suspect for being in possession of abalone on the N2 near Thornhill.
It is alleged that on Friday, 16 September 2022 at approximately 11:00, the Gqeberha K9 Unit received information about two suspects that were busy stealing cables from a lamp pole at the Deal Party off ramp on the freeway. The members immediately responded and on arrival they noticed the suspects hiding between the bushes. The members arrested one suspect, however the second suspect managed to evade arrest as he ran towards the freeway, K9 Diesel was used to assist with the arrest but due to traffic on the freeway the suspect managed to evade arrest.
The suspect (34) was arrested under the Criminal Matters Amendment Act 18 of 2015 tampering, damaging and destroying of essential infrastructure. Members also confiscated cables.
The collaborative operation by Gqeberha K9 Unit in conjunction with the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries resulted in the arrest of one suspect for being in possession of abalone with an estimated value of R800 000.00 Friday, 16 September 2022, between Gqeberha and Jeffreysbay.
On the abovementioned date at approximately 07:10, members attached to the Gqeberha K9 Unit received information from Humansdorp K9 Unit about a gold coloured Toyota Avanza traveling towards Gqeberha with abalone. The members immediately responded with the assistance of Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and closed all the exit routes of the N2 freeway to prevent the vehicle turning off from the N2. Near Thornhill area the vehicle was spotted and the members successfully stopped the vehicle. Upon searching the vehicle the members found black bags containing abalone. The suspect (35) was detained for contravening the Marine Living Resource Act, 19 of 1998 Regulation 36 sub sect 1 – illegal possession of abalone. The Toyota Avanza were confiscated together with 2800 units of fresh chucked abalone.
Both suspects will appear in court on Monday, 19 September 2022.
Source: South African Police Service