Fisheries officers have made the largest paua bust in the Auckland region in more than a decade.
"The officers were on a routine late shift patrol in West Auckland earlier this week when they came across a car they considered to be in a suspicious location near Cornwallis wharf," says Ministry for Primary Industries South Auckland region team manager Jacob Hore.
"They felt something wasn't quite right so waited for the occupants to come back then pulled the vehicle over as it left the area."
Inside the car were 260 paua - 258 of which were shucked and all of which were undersized.
"Unfortunately, the paua were all dead because they had been removed from their shells when our officers found them. They were taken back to the office to be weighed, measured and stored for evidential purposes," Mr Hore says.
"The officers seized all the paua and the dive gear used in the alleged offending."
The Ministry for Primary Industries is pleased with the bust because it was done by two new fisheries officers who were on a routine patrol.
"This represents the largest paua gathering offence detected in the Auckland region in more than 10 years. It is fantastic to see our new officers using their initiative and delivering great results," he says.
The three men and a woman in the car are all expected to face charges.
Newshub.
