Perlemoen Kingpin Julian Brown (32), convicted of racketeering and contravening the Marine Living Resource Act, was sentenced to an effective 18 years behind bars.
His co-accused Eugene Victor (33) was sentenced to an effective 15 years for the same charges including the display of a false licence, forgery, driving without a licence and the possession of abalone.
The 38-year-old Brandon Turner was jailed for 15 years, also for racketeering and contravening the Marine Living Resource Act.
A string of associates who helped Brown build up the abalone enterprise, lining their own pockets in the process, testified in the Port Elizabeth High Court as Section 204 witnesses.
They were indemnified from prosecution, except for Phillip Kriel.
[WATCH] Emotions run following the sentencing proceedings of convicted Perlemoen Kingpin, Julian Brown and two of his co-accused at PE High Court this morning. @AlgoaFMNews pic.twitter.com/Ht6CpAYOJn
— Athi Plaatjie (@athi_plaatjie) March 1, 2019
-African News Agency