Cape Town: Suspect arrested for selling seal meat on black market
The City of Cape Town’s Law Enforcement Marine and Environmental unit officers received a tip-off about a man harvesting meat from a seal while on patrol on Thursday, 6 July. READ: Worst in drivers in the world: SA ranked last in fatal accident index SUSPECT CONFIRMS BLACK MARKET FOR SEAL MEAT EXISTS According to the tip-off, […]
The City of Cape Town’s Law Enforcement Marine and Environmental unit officers received a tip-off about a man harvesting meat from a seal while on patrol on Thursday, 6 July.
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SUSPECT CONFIRMS BLACK MARKET FOR SEAL MEAT EXISTS
According to the tip-off, the suspect was cutting up the seal on the beach along Baden Powell Drive near the Strandfontein Pavillion.
When the officers arrived at the scene, the man had just cut up the Cape fur seal. He was arrested and charged with breaking the National Environmental Management Biodiversity Act (Nemba) as he was in possession of an animal on the Threatened or Protected Species (TOPS) list.
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“The suspect also confirmed there is a thriving black market for the seal meat,” said City of Cape Town Law Enforcement spokesperson Wayne Dyason.
As previously reported, six Cape fur seals washed ashore on a beach in Kommetjie, on 7 June. Autopsies confirmed that the animals had been stabbed while at sea, and drowned, before washing up.
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In January, another Cape fur seal had been stoned by men at Monwabisi Beach. The animal suffered severe facial and skull fractures and had to be euthanised.
READ: ‘One of the most brutal attacks’: Four arrested for stoning Cape fur seal [GRAPHIC]