City Traffic Officers recently arrested a 27-year-old suspect in Muizenberg after discovering a haul of 1 416 abalone hidden in his vehicle.

The incident unfolded at approximately 09:30 during a routine traffic stop in Atlantic Road, Muizenberg, according to the City of Cape Town’s Safety and Security department.

On being questioned by the Cape Town Traffic Service officers the driver quickly confessed to transporting the illicit marine cargo. A search of the vehicle exposed the extensive collection of shucked shellfish.

Authorities arrested the driver on charges of illegal possession and transport of abalone without a permit. Officers subsequently booked the abalone and the suspect’s vehicle into police custody as formal criminal exhibits.

The Cape Town Traffic Service has handed the matter over to the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) for deeper investigation.

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