Law Enforcement bags a near 500% increase in poached goods

Law Enforcement bags a near 500% increase in poached goods

14 August 2026

The gains by the Marine Unit is one of several highlights recorded in the last financial year. Apart from increases in the number of service requests, Law Enforcement officers shut down nearly a thousand illegal liquor outlets and ramped up fines for by-law transgressions.

‘The Marine Unit’s successes are evidence of closer working relationships with other agencies responsible for policing this space, and an improved information network made possible by our reward system. I’m also very impressed by the outputs in the Law Enforcement Department as a whole. In the last year, there’s been a deliberate drive to focus on the primary mandate of by-law enforcement along with crime prevention, and it shows in the statistics. There was also a decision to decentralise some of the specialised units to area enforcement level, which further boosted enforcement results,’ said Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.

Marine Unit


Law Enforcement Officers have the power to confiscate, arrest, issue compliance notices and fines, and shut down illegal operations. 

Notable achievements in the most recent 12-month period under review showed:

  • An increase in the recovery of poached Marine Living Resources, from 2 540 to 14 967
  • Over a kilometre of stolen copper cable recovered
  • 247 vehicles impounded linked to illegal dumping
  • 3 061 animals impounded in terms of the Animal Keeping by-law
  • More than half a million fines issued – a 48% increase on the previous year
  • 953 illegal shebeens closed
  • Nearly 37 000sq metres of graffiti cleaned


Poached lobster


Officers also made 11 359 arrests, recovered 172 firearms, 1 710 rounds of ammunition and 38 119,75 units of drugs. 

‘The pressure on the department is relentless – they attended to more than 365 000 service requests in a year – a 17% increase compared to the year before. We speak very often about the challenges that violent crime poses, but for many people, it is the struggle with an illegal business in the street or the shebeen on the corner or noisy neighbours that threaten their right to a peaceful existence. And that is why by-law enforcement is so critical, but it’s also worth noting that much of it can be avoided if only we gave more thought to how our actions impact the lives of others,’ added Alderman Smith. 

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