Four men were sentenced to a combined total of 127 year in prison on Tuesday, by the Khayelitsha Regional Court for running an abalone syndicate, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (the Hawks) said.

Spokesperson Captain Lloyd Ramovha said that the group was arrested after the Hawks pounced on the group’s illegal operations on their Vredenburg and Table View premises in a search and seizure operation during July 2010.

“About 98 981 units of abalone valued at approximately R20 million and various equipment were seized. Further investigations culminated in two containers being shipped back from China,” Ramovha said.

He said that the four were sentenced on Tuesday, they were facing charges in relation to exporting of abalone; processing of abalone; possession of abalone; fraud and money laundering.

“In what is believed to be record sentence as far as abalone is concerned; Accused Abri Felipe Bucchianeri was to sentenced to 38 years imprisonment of which he will effectively serve 23 years. Cecil George Kruger sentenced to 38 years imprisonment of which he will effectively serve 18 years,” Ramovha said.

“Sean Kruger was sentences to 38 years imprisonment of which he will effectively serve 23 years. Busonbenkosi Matera was sentenced to 13 years imprisonment of which he will effectively serve 10 years. The company that was used to export the abalone Virdon Trading CC received a R400 000 fine.”