Raid on perlemoen syndicate
Johannesburg - Nineteen alleged members of a perlemoen (abalone) syndicate, including two police officers, were arrested during separate raids in the Western Cape on Tuesday, police said.Captain Frederick van Wyk said the raids were part of operation "Black Leaves", which investigated the illegal trade of perlemoen in the province.
Members of the directorate for priority crime investigation (the Hawks), the police and marine and coastal management arrested the alleged syndicate members during raids in Beaufort West, Stanford and Gansbaai.
One of the officers arrested was from Beaufort West and the other from Gansbaai.
The syndicate allegedly started in July 1998, and had been operating in the Western Cape, Gauteng, Northern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.
All 19 were charged with racketeering, corruption, money laundering and abalone-related crimes.
Incredible how long it can take to 'catch a thief' but luckily the 'pearls' (per lemoen) are safe now.
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