Parliament’s Police Committee says the prevalence of organised crime in pillaging marine resources is a great course of concern.
Committee chair Francois Beukman says they will hold a joint meeting with the Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries Committee in August to look at the extent of the problem.
Agriculture Minister Senzeni Zokwana earlier revealed that abalone worth a total of R16-million was stolen at gunpoint from the Department’s abalone stores – in three attacks since 2015.
Beukman says a multi-pronged approach is needed to tackle crime of marine resources.
Recent incidents and related court cases involving government employees is indication that more efforts should be made by the law enforcement agencies to deal with the related crimes.
The Portfolio Committee is of the view that an inter-agency approach is the correct way to deal with organised crime in the marine resources, life environment, including the NPA, Crime Intelligence and the DPCI.
It also includes border control and export authorities.
[Source: SABC News]
