Abalone arrests - only one of two reported? (3,5)

I believe the answer is:

sea snail

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'abalone' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both animals as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe there's a link between them I don't understand?

I don't understand how the remainder of the clue works.

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(Other definitions for sea snail that I've seen before include "Creeping marine creature with a spiral shell" , "Spiral-shelled marine mollusc" , "wet crawler" .)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.

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