Criminology and Psychology

Nineteen men accused of operating South Africa's biggest international abalone smuggling ring were re-arrested, released on bail and are to be tried in the Cape High Court later this year.They appeared before magistrate Alta Fredericks minutes after they were arrested in the corridors of Cape Town Magistrate's Court on Tuesday.The 112 charges instituted against the alleged mastermind Yu-Chen (Richard) Chao, 47, of Milnerton, and his co-accused two years ago was struck off the roll in the Cape Town Regional Court on January 28.The State had been granted warrants for the arrest of the accused, who were told to be at court to face the original charges and a contravention of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (Poca).They are alleged to have been in illegal possession of 470 tons of perlemoen valued at R200-million. The 19 were arrested between June and March 20 last year after a two-year investigation by the Organised Crime Unit.On Tuesday, members of the police's Commercial...