A targeted police operation against cross-province criminal activity led to the arrest of two men for the possession of an endangered species on Monday morning.
Members of the Flying Squad, deployed to monitor the entry and exit routes of the province to curb the trafficking of illicit drugs, unlicensed firearms, and endangered species, intercepted a Hyundai vehicle at a checkpoint on the Prince Albert Road.
The incident occurred on November 17, 2025, at approximately 08:30. Upon stopping the vehicle, officers swiftly conducted a search and discovered a box containing a live pangolin, a protected and critically endangered species.
The pangolin, with an estimated street value of R200,000, was immediately confiscated. The two occupants of the vehicle were arrested on the spot for the unlawful possession of an endangered species.
The seized animal was subsequently handed over to Cape Nature authorities for further processing and care.
The suspects, both believed to be from Delft in Cape Town, remain in police custody. They are expected to be formally charged and appear in the Prince Albert Magistrates’ Court in the coming days.