22 January 2007
Pretoria: An important intervention in the illicit trade of abalone
(perlemoen) was made by South African Revenue Service (SARS) Customs officials
at the weekend when a truck with about 600 kilograms of abalone was stopped and
detained at the South African-Namibia border.
The abalone was declared to SARS Customs as pilchards, dried fruit and
vegetables. The consignment consisted of dried and frozen abalone and at this
stage, the street value is estimated at between R900 000 and R1,2 million.
SARS Customs officials have been monitoring illicit trade routes and the
operations of transport and export companies in order to determine how abalone
is smuggled from South Africa via road transportation.
It is a common occurrence that false declarations are made to SARS Customs
and that abalone is disguised with other products when packed into trucks or
containers. In this weekend's instance, the abalone was stored in 69 boxes
hidden under sardines and the consignment declared as dried fruit and
vegetables.
The truck transporting the abalone was stopped and searched at a border post
between South Africa and Namibia. The names and details of the export company
and the transport company involved in this venture are known to SARS Customs.
Investigations are continuing.
The abalone, the driver of the vehicle and an assistant were detained by
SARS Customs Officials and arrested by members of the South African Police
Service whose assistance was called in at the border post.
The latest confiscation follows a very successful operation in October last
year when the efforts of various law enforcement agencies led to the
confiscation of containers of abalone worth R11 million in Cape Town.
For further media enquiries, please contact:
Adrian Lackay
SARS Communications
Tel: (012) 422 4206
Cell: 083 388 2580
Issued by: South African Revenue Service
22 January 2007
