Ficksburg - South African police at the Peka border post with Lesotho arrested two suspects after stopping a vehicle with abalone and illegal wine, and then arrested two more who arrived on the scene and tried to bribe the officials.
Police spokesperson Captain Phumelelo Dhlamini said that on Tuesday at about 3pm members of the Peka Port of Entry were conducting routine searches of vehicles when they stopped a Mercedes Benz with two men inside.
“Upon searching the vehicle, the members found two sealed plastic bags containing dry abalone weighing 1.75 kilograms, with a street value of R8 650, as well as ten 750ml illegal wine bottles wrapped inside baby nappies.”
Dhlamini said the suspects were arrested for failing to produce any legal documents or licence to trade in abalone.
According to police, after the arrest of the two suspects, two other men arrived at the border post and tried to bribe the officials by offering them R10 000 in exchange for the release of the two suspects that had been arrested earlier.
“The members refused to accept the bribe and took the bribers into custody. All the suspects will appear before the Ficksburg Magistrate’s court, charged with bribery of police officials, illegal possession of abalone and illegal food and wine.”
African News Agency