Cape Town - Four men from Milnerton pleaded guilty and were sentenced following their arrest for the possession of abalone valued at more than R4.8 million.
A joint operation was conducted by a multidisciplinary team that included the Hawks serious organised crime investigation team, Crime Intelligence as well as officials from the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environmental Affairs (DFFE).
The successful operation found the individuals in possession of 8 893 units of shucked abalone to the value of more than R4.5 million. The units were forfeited to the State.
The accused, Renaldo Marcos Mucache, 23, Boniface Albino Muchanga, 28, Joshua Daniel Chaque, 38, and Valton Beca, 26, have been sentenced for multiple counts of possession of abalone, fish processing establishment and contravention of Immigration Act 13 of 2002.
Hawks spokesperson Zinzi Hani said the group were fined R300 000 or 36 months imprisonment of which R150 000 or 18 months was suspended for five years on condition that they are not going to be convicted of the same offences.
The accused were further sentenced to 12 months imprisonment which is wholly suspended for a period of 5 years on condition that they are not convicted of a contravention of the Immigration Act.
Hani added that, effectively, all four accused will serve 18 months direct imprisonment should they fail to pay a fine of R150 000 each.