Police arrested three men on the N7 near Garies on Monday night, 2 February 2026, at approximately 22:00.
The suspects, aged 21, 29, and 37, were charged under the Northern Cape Nature Conservation Act 9/2009 for illegally possessing a protected species.
An off-duty officer, acting on information from the Station Commander, alerted police to a red Volkswagen Golf suspected of involvement with Armadillo girdled lizards. Officers spotted the vehicle at 21:45 and attempted to stop it. The driver failed to stop and led police on a high-speed pursuit.
During the chase, the suspects were seen throwing objects from the vehicle, later identified as Armadillo girdled lizards.
The suspects were apprehended and returned to the scene for arrest. Police recovered 84 Armadillo girdled lizards, valued at approximately R123,000, and seized the Volkswagen Golf used in the crime.
The three suspects will appear soon in the Garies Magistrate’s Court.