3 months jail - $9000 fine - 10 year fishing ban - $180,000 of gear seized

[yellow door 1]

Remember this big bust from January last year? Here are the court results!

21 Fisheries Officers were involved in a 16-month investigation, Operation Torpedo, which concluded with the arrest of a Camperdown fish and chip shop owner and 3 fishing associates.

On Friday, all four men pleaded guilty in court and received various penalties ranging from jail, fines and a 10-year fishing ban.

The fish and chip shop owner pleaded guilty to illegally taking shark and other fish and selling them through his retail outlet. He also pleaded guilty to possessing commercial fishing equipment, failing to retain shark in carcass form, exceeding the daily catch limit for sharks and dealing with the proceeds of crime to the value of $50,000.

He was convicted and sentenced to 3 months imprisonment, banned from fishing or being aboard a boat in Victorian waters for 10 years, fined $9,000 and had his boat, truck and fishing gear worth $180,000 forfeited.

A second man involved in the shop’s management was convicted and sentenced to the same without forfeiture.

A third man, who accompanied the shop owner on most fishing trips, was convicted and sentenced to 2 months imprisonment, banned from fishing or being aboard a boat for 10 years and fined $7,500.

The fourth man, who participated in six fishing trips, was convicted, fined $6,000 and banned from recreational fishing for 12 months.

Three of the men have lodged appeals.

Operation Torpedo was one of the biggest investigations ever in our history, with Fisheries Officers conducting surveillance on the four men many times whilst they fished along the southwest coast.

Gummy and school shark (often sold as flake), mako shark, flathead, snapper, morwong, leatherjacket and gurnard were caught and taken back to the shop, processed, then laundered and sold as legitimately sourced seafood.

We will continue to detect illegal fishing activity as a priority. We’re dedicated to exploring all avenues to bring offenders to justice and protect our fisheries resources for sustainable and legitimate use.

If you see or suspect illegal fishing, call 13FISH (13 3474). You can remain anonymous!

[nagz]

Good to know fisheries etc is actually out there doing something

Now they just have to start busting the imports from keeping undersize bream on every jetty in Australia

[John Osborne]

Originally Posted by nagz

Good to know fisheries etc is actually out there doing something

Now they just have to start busting the imports from keeping undersize bream on every jetty in Australia

agree with you nagz, its becoming an epidemic.

[yellow door 1]

Jailed: Deck hand Wayne McLean poses with one of the sharks. He was jailed for two months but has appealed against the severity of the sentence.

[nagz]

Authorities must love social media

Always makes it easy to find the gobby stupid crims

If I was a baddie, and I most definitely am not, I would have no online trace of my nefarious activities

Dick heads

Glad they’ve been dealt with harshly

Now they can go knock on the door of old mate who used a shark as a bong

[yellow door 1]

Heres a list of 2017 - 2018 enforcement outcomes for Victorian fisheries inspectors.

Previous years are listed below

https://vfa.vic.gov.au/enforcement/enforcement-outcomes

[nagz]

This f&@k wit

[yellow door 1]

Originally Posted by nagz

Authorities must love social media

Always makes it easy to find the gobby stupid crims

If I was a baddie, and I most definitely am not, I would have no online trace of my nefarious activities

Dick heads

Glad they’ve been dealt with harshly

Now they can go knock on the door of old mate who used a shark as a bong

Yeah - part of the business was legit - so they would have been cutting up legally sourced sharks aswell - For all his faults, you cant be too harsh on him for rookie crim moves.

But with that said - I didnt see the original caption on his Twitter - it could have been "what Up suckas - just cutting up some illegal sharks - Vic Fisheries are a pack of useless gronks "#easymoney #piratelifeforme #Ilovebreakingthelaw

[yellow door 1]

Originally Posted by nagz

This f&@k wit

That is taking things to a new level

[nagz]

I’m also unsure of the details, just saw the bandwagon mosey on down through town, had nothing else happening so I jumped on

Either way, don’t break the law

[yellow door 1]

Originally Posted by nagz

i’m also unsure of the details, just saw the bandwagon mosey on down through town, had nothing else happening so i jumped on

either way, don’t break the law

:d