i travel this bridge once a week
By TOM GODFREY, SUN MEDIA
Two Americans are behind bars and four rare Asian arowana fish are safe in an aquarium after U.S. customs officers reeled them in in an alleged smuggling scheme.
The endangered arowanas -- commonly known as Asian dragon fish -- were found in the spare tire well of a vehicle trying to cross the Queenston Lewiston Bridge in the U.S. last weekend, said Chief Kevin Corsaro of the Customs and Border Protection agency.
Corsaro said the fish were purchased at a downtown Toronto pet store for $1,000 each and were allegedly being taken for sale in New York City, where they can catch $2,500 each. He was unsure of the Toronto store.
INDIVIDUAL BAGS "The fish are doing well and have been placed in a local aquarium," Corsaro said yesterday. "They will be held until the court case has been dealt with."
The fish are in the custody of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and will likely go to various aquariums after the case wraps up.
Corsaro said the seizure occurred after the men were sent for a check at the border. The fish were found in individual water-filled bags.
"We don't usually seize a lot of fish," he said. "It does happen, but it is rare." Robert Battaglia, 40, and Richard Feustel, 59, of Long Island, N.Y., have been charged with illegal importation of wildlife. The duo appeared at a bail hearing in a Buffalo court yesterday.
http://www.torontosun.com/News/World/2008/06/24/5968151-sun.html
By TOM GODFREY, SUN MEDIA
Two Americans are behind bars and four rare Asian arowana fish are safe in an aquarium after U.S. customs officers reeled them in in an alleged smuggling scheme.
The endangered arowanas -- commonly known as Asian dragon fish -- were found in the spare tire well of a vehicle trying to cross the Queenston Lewiston Bridge in the U.S. last weekend, said Chief Kevin Corsaro of the Customs and Border Protection agency.
Corsaro said the fish were purchased at a downtown Toronto pet store for $1,000 each and were allegedly being taken for sale in New York City, where they can catch $2,500 each. He was unsure of the Toronto store.
INDIVIDUAL BAGS "The fish are doing well and have been placed in a local aquarium," Corsaro said yesterday. "They will be held until the court case has been dealt with."
The fish are in the custody of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and will likely go to various aquariums after the case wraps up.
Corsaro said the seizure occurred after the men were sent for a check at the border. The fish were found in individual water-filled bags.
"We don't usually seize a lot of fish," he said. "It does happen, but it is rare." Robert Battaglia, 40, and Richard Feustel, 59, of Long Island, N.Y., have been charged with illegal importation of wildlife. The duo appeared at a bail hearing in a Buffalo court yesterday.
http://www.torontosun.com/News/World/2008/06/24/5968151-sun.html
Good luck getting out of this one...
YAY! CHEERS! 
4500G of fuel per truck
LOL