Sting in the tail for rock lobster suspects
29 September 2025
The suspects found themselves in hot water, when officers swooped in separate incidents this weekend. They were among 218 arrests by the City’s enforcement agencies in the past week.
On Saturday, 27 September 2025, officers attached to the Law Enforcement Marine Unit received a tip off about a suspect in possession of West Coast rock lobster at an address in Ravensmead. Officers acted swiftly and arrested a 47-year-old suspect for the illegal possession of 420 lobster tails.
The following day, officers patrolling the Hout Bay Harbour area received information about a suspect trading in rock lobster without a permit. The 45-year-old suspect was detained at Hout Bay SAPS, after being found with 192 rock lobsters.
‘Pilfering of our marine resources is an ongoing problem and often it is linked to other illicit dealings. Our Marine Unit staff work closely with other agencies to police our coastline and the waters around Cape Town. I want to thank the members of the public who were involved in making these arrests happen. As we head into the warmer months, we’ll no doubt see an increase in poaching incidents, so I appeal to the public to blow the whistle on any suspected illegal activities. Also, do refrain from buying marine resources that have been illegally harvested – by doing so, you only compound the problem,’ said Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.
In general enforcement efforts over the past week, Law Enforcement officers made 149 arrests for a number of transgressions and issued 5 893 fines.
Their Metro Police counterparts arrested 45 people, including 10 for driving under the influence of alcohol. Officers also confiscated a number of drugs, weapons and ammunition.
On the roads, Traffic Officers recorded 43 365 offences, impounded 165 public transport vehicles and executed 1 629 warrants of arrest.
Officers also arrested 24 suspects - 13 for driving under the influence of alcohol, six for reckless and negligent driving and five for other transgressions.
The Public Emergency Communication Centre (PECC) recorded 1 610 incidents this weekend.
Residents can report emergencies or criminal behaviour by phoning the PECC on 021 480 7700.
Photo Captions: Illegal rock lobsters confiscated
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Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
