The Ravensmead police confirmed several arrests were made recently for possession of and dealing the endangered rock lobster.
On 16 January Law Enforcement Marine Unit officers spotted a suspicious-looking vehicle at a supermarket parking lot. After the vehicle jumped a red light, officers pounced and found a cooler box filled with 300 West Coast Rock Lobster tails. The driver, a 50-year-old from Uitsig, was arrested and charged.
According to a release by JP Smith, the Mayco member for Safety and Security, on 15 January, officers conducted surveillance on a property in Ravensmead based on a tip-off. “They caught a 47-year-old man from Ravensmead with 348 lobster tails, including six from pregnant mothers. The homeowner, a 45-year-old from Kuils River, was also arrested for possessing 40 lobster tails.
Endangered
“West Coast Rock Lobsters are critically endangered, with populations estimated to be at just 1% of their 20-year-ago levels, threatening the ecosystem and livelihoods of communities dependent on them.”
Capt Odwa Makupula, spokesperson for the Ravensmead police, welcomed the arrests and said the community must alert authorities when they suspect people are dealing in endangered animals.
