Table View residents got a skrik last week when the army rolled into the fancy suburb.
Shortly after 9am on Thursday, residents noticed a military helicopter circling Raats Drive and minutes later army trucks pulled up into the quiet street.
According to a police source, local cops had no idea what was going on until thousands of abalone was checked in at Table View Police Station.
“It was very weird, the residents just saw the helicopter and the next thing the tanks pulled up and raided an abalone processing facility and the army arrested two Chinese men,” the source says.
SAPS’ Captain FC van Wyk says: “Maitland Flying Squad reacted on the information, searched the house and seized 4600 units of dry abalone and six bags of frozen abalone.
R1.2m abalone
“They also seized a large chest freezer, a large pot, gas bottles and equipment to dry abalone.
“The abalone, with an estimated street value of R1.2 million, was confiscated.
“Two foreigners, aged 31 and 35, were arrested and detained.”
Community Police Forum (CPF) chairperson, Dave Harris, says: “It caused quite a stir and seemed very strange that the army was being brought in when they are supposed to be deployed to the Cape Flats.
“We are happy with the abalone bust and have seen these processing facilities increase in the area.
“It appears that they will often rent two homes in the same street where one is used to live in and the other as a front for the abalone facility.”