Pretoria — The South African Police Services are currently monitoring the country's coast for abalone smugglers and have turned their attention to other countries that might be involved.

This follows yet another incident of perlemoen smuggling when Police confiscated perlemoen worth R2 million at a small holding in Bredell, Kempton Park on Thursday.

Two Chinese nationals and three Mozambicans were arrested.

Last month four South Africans and four Chinese nationals were arrested - also in Kempton Park - for perlemoen smuggling worth millions of Rand.

Abalone smuggling is on the increase due to a continual rise in the price for the shellfish and threatens the survival of some species, while impacting on the local fishing industry, the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT) said last month.

Since August last year until early January this year, Police have confiscated abalone worth more than R21-million during a special operation between the Police, DEAT), the National Defence Force and a number of non-governmental organisations.

Perlemoen sells for about R230 per kilogram on the black market and is considered a delicacy and an aphrodisiac in the Far East.

SAPS spokesperson Captain Ronnie Naidoo said today police are currently investigating other countries that might be involved in the smuggling of abalone.

It is not yet known what country the latest batch of abalone was destined for or where it came from, but police suspect that it might be from the Eastern Cape.

The suspects are expected to appear in the Kempton Park magistrate's court tomorrow.

Police investigations continue and more arrests are imminent, Capt Naidoo said.