Perlemoen worth R600,000 recovered near Thornhill

A tip-off led to the recovery of perlemoen worth R600,000 in Thornhill on Tuesday.

The perlemoen was recovered at about 5am from a red VW Polo and a blue Audi travelling along the N2 from Jeffreys Bay where the perlemoen was allegedly harvested.

According to police, the tip-off came after a resident noted suspicious people loading plastics bags at the Pellsrus Beach in Jeffreys Bay and then called the Humansdorp K9 unit.

After a stakeout on the N2 between Thornhill and Jeffreys Bay, the two vehicles were flagged.

“Immediately[after the tip-off, a K9 vehicle was dispatched to monitor the N2 with the assistance of SAPS Thornhill.  Moments later, the two vehicles were spotted on the N2 and were both pulled off the road,” police spokesperson Sergeant Majola Nkohli said.

Three of the suspects managed to escape after ditching the vehicles.

“The occupants in both vehicles disembarked and ran to the nearby bushes.  A search was conducted, but the three suspects managed to escape,” Nkohli added.

Police have also seized the two vehicles along with the perlemoen and a case of contravening the Marine Living Resources Act 18 of 1998 is being further investigated.

Nkohli urged more residents in coastal cities and towns to assist in protecting endangered marine life.

Police are closing in on the suspects, and their arrest is imminent. 

HeraldLIVE