Two European men, who were part of a syndicate that was stealing succulent plants from the Western and Northern Cape, have been banned from entering South Africa.
The 65-year-old Jaromir Chvastek and the 56-year-old Tomas Malir, both from the Czech Republic were arrested in August in Rietpoort, following a tip-off.
The men had 1026 protected plant species in their possession.
The Spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority in the Western Cape Eric Ntabazalila says 728 of the plant species were listed as protected flora, 89 as vulnerable, 105 as rare and 10 as critically rare.
The men were charged with possession of flora without documentation, picking protected flora without a permit or permission from the landowner.
The court heard that these men were part of a syndicate of 10 groups who specifically come to South Africa to steal these plants.
At the time of Chvastek and Malir's arrest, it was their sixth visit to South Africa.
According to the State Chvastek operated a website from his native country in which he sold these plants for financial gain.
The men were sentenced to two years in prison suspended for five years, and ordered to leave the country and never to return.
The State was granted a confiscation order of R1 million in respect to both accused. The court ordered that R500 000 be paid into the Criminal Asset Recovery Account (CARA) and R500 000 to Cape Nature.
The Court further ordered that all flora seized be declared forfeited to Cape Nature.
