The interior of the car. Photos: SAPS

An innovative abalone smuggling operation has come a cropper. According to police spokesperson Constable Noloyiso Rwexana, policemen conducting a patrol in the vicinity of Sir Lowry’s Pass became suspicious last night when they saw a flatbed tow truck with an unusual cargo.

The cargo consisted of an Opel Record with a Limpopo registration number, and the entire interior of the car, the head rests and seats, were covered with duvets.

Police gave chase and pulled the tow truck off opposite Lwande, where they noticed fluid dripping from the car’s interior. Police searched the truck and upon removing the duvets found that the entire interior of the vehicle and the boot was stacked with bags of abalone.

Two men, aged 28 and 29 years, from Grabouw and Bonteheuwel respectively, were arrested. They will appear in the Strand Magistrates’ Court tomorrow on charges of possession and transporting of abalone. 5626 units of shucked abalone worth R800 000 estimated street value were confiscated.