KEY POINTS
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Ernst Hendrik Theunis Muller was sentenced after being caught with over 5,000 units of illegal dried abalone valued at nearly R2 million.
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The Hawks and environmental officials uncovered the illegal stash during a targeted operation in Cape Town, though Muller’s co-accused remains at large.
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Authorities and environmental groups warn that abalone poaching remains a critical threat to South Africa’s marine ecosystems and law enforcement will intensify efforts to dismantle poaching networks.
In a significant blow to South Africa’s illegal abalone trade, 67-year-old Ernst Hendrik Theunis Muller was sentenced this week by the Khayelitsha Priority Court in Cape Town for his role in abalone poaching activities.
Muller pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including possession of fish, possession of abalone not in a whole state, and the unlawful sale and acquisition of abalone without valid documentation.
According to Warrant Officer Zinzi Hani, spokesperson for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), Muller’s arrest on November 24, 2024, followed an intelligence-driven operation conducted by the Hawks’ Economic Protected Resources (EPR) team and officials from the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE).
“The team received information about two vehicles suspected of transporting illegal abalone and tracked them to the Island Club in Century City, Milnerton,” said Hani. “Upon intercepting the vehicles, officers discovered bags filled with dried abalone inside a Honda CR-V and linked a second vehicle, a Renault, to the illegal activity.”
Over 5,000 units of dried abalone recovered in joint operation
Authorities seized a total of 5,228 units of dried abalone during the operation, with an estimated value of nearly R2 million. Both Muller and his co-accused, Liang Yan Zhiang, were arrested at the scene. The Honda CR-V used in transporting the abalone was also confiscated as an instrument of crime.
However, while Muller faced justice, his co-accused Zhiang later absconded from court proceedings and remains at large. A warrant for his arrest has been issued, and law enforcement agencies are actively pursuing leads to locate him.
During sentencing, the court imposed a R30,000 fine or 12 months’ imprisonment on Muller for possession of fish. For the more serious charges relating to the abalone, Muller received a 24-month prison sentence, wholly suspended for five years on condition that he does not reoffend.
The illegal abalone trade, largely driven by black-market demand in East Asia, continues to pose significant challenges to South African authorities. Abalone, a highly prized delicacy, has become a lucrative commodity for organized crime syndicates, fueling environmental degradation and violence in coastal communities.
Environmental experts have warned that rampant poaching of abalone threatens not only marine biodiversity but also the livelihoods of legitimate fishers.
According to IOL, conservationists argue that unless stricter enforcement and community-based interventions are expanded, South Africa risks irreversible depletion of its natural marine resources.
Speaking after the court proceedings, environmental justice groups praised the Hawks and DFFE for their coordinated action. “This successful conviction sends a strong message that wildlife crimes will not be tolerated and perpetrators will face legal consequences,” said Naledi Mokoena, a spokesperson for Oceans Watch SA.
Authorities have reiterated their commitment to cracking down on environmental crimes, emphasizing that more operations are planned in known poaching hotspots across the Western Cape and Eastern Cape provinces.
As the search continues for the fugitive co-accused, the case serves as a stark reminder of the complex battle against environmental crime, which increasingly intertwines with broader issues of organized crime and socio-economic inequality.
