A MAN has been fined and banned from recreational fishing in Victoria after confusing his budgie smugglers for abalone smugglers.
Sooseala Ulberg, 52, was caught by officers as he gathered illegal abalone from shallow water in Seaholme, near Altona in Melbourne’s west.
The Meadow Heights man used a silver knife to prise the shellfish from the rocks and proceeded to hide them down his underpants in an attempt to smuggle them back to shore.
The Fisheries officers told the court that Ulberg turned around and tried to throw the abalone back to the water from his underpants when he was approached.
He then began to shout obscenities and threats to the officers.
After failing to appear in court last May, Ulberg was arrested by police at the end of last year.
Magistrate John O’Callaghan told Ulberg the most serious part of his crime was threatening and abusing the officers.
He has been fined $5000 and banned from recreational fishing for 12 months.