Mogamat Amien Fakier (49) was sentenced to a fine of R50 000-00 or two (2) years imprisonment when he appeared at the Khayelitsha Priority Court in Cape Town on Thursday, 20 May 2021.
This comes after his arrest on 14 August 2017 when members of the Hawks Serious Organised Crime investigation team together with Crime Intelligence, K9 unit and officials from the Department of Environmental Forestry and Fisheries reacted on information about a vehicle transporting abalone illegally.
The joint team spotted a truck matching the description and followed it until it stopped at a house situated at Chilli Street Philippi, Cape Town. Dried abalone packed in boxes were uncovered at the back of the truck upon conducting a search. The two occupants were immediately arrested and abalone seized. However the other person was later cleared on all charges and released.
Fakier tendered a guilty plea for two charges which includes possession and transporting 483 kg of dried abalone worth R2.4 Million.
The Acting Provincial Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation in the Western Cape, Brigadier Mushavhaduvha Ramovha welcomed the sentence as abalone poaching causes considerable damage to our marine resources.
