BUSTED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Thread starter Oddball
- Start date
NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Distribution
September 22, 2006
FOUR ARRESTED ON FEDERAL CHARGES OF SELLING
ENDANGERED SPECIES COMMONLY CALLED DRAGON FISH
An investigation by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has resulted in four
people being taken into custody on federal charges of illegally transporting and
selling Asian Arowanas, an endangered species, in violation of the Endangered
Species Act.
The Asian Arowana ? commonly called ?dragon fish? or ?lucky fish? ? is
native to Southeast Asia and can grow to up to three feet in length. Under the
Endangered Species Act and international treaties, permits are required to export
endangered species from their country of origin, as well as import them into the
United States. The permitting system is designed to protect species by preventing
the creation of black markets for them in the United States and elsewhere. In the
United States, Asian Arowanas can sell on the black market value for as much as
$10,000.
The four defendants arrested yesterday were named in criminal complaints
filed in United States District Court in Los Angeles. They are:
* Bruce Penny, 36, of Cypress, California, who is accused of selling several
Asian Arowanas to a purchaser in New York;
* Anthony Robles, 29, of Carson, California, who is accused of purchasing
Asain Arowanas, selling some to Penny and helping Penny ship some of the
fish to the New York buyer;
* Peter Wu, 42, of Rowland Heights, California, a physician who is charged
with transporting and selling an Asian Arowana to an undercover agent with
the Fish & Wildlife Service; and
*William Ho, 25, of Boston, who is charged with selling several Asian
Arowanas to the New York Buyer.
All four defendants were released on bond after making their initial court
appearances. A United States Magistrate Judge in Los Angeles scheduled
preliminary hearings for Penny, Robles and Wu on October 11 and arraignments
on October 16. In federal court in Boston, Ho was advised that he could plead
guilty there or he was to appear in federal court in Los Angeles on October 10.
All four defendants are charged with one count of violating the Endangered
Species Act. The maximum sentence for each violation is five years in federal
prison and a fine of $250,000.
A criminal complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a
crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
CONTACT: Assistant United States Attorney Dorothy C. Kim
Release No. 06-125
For Immediate Distribution
September 22, 2006
FOUR ARRESTED ON FEDERAL CHARGES OF SELLING
ENDANGERED SPECIES COMMONLY CALLED DRAGON FISH
An investigation by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has resulted in four
people being taken into custody on federal charges of illegally transporting and
selling Asian Arowanas, an endangered species, in violation of the Endangered
Species Act.
The Asian Arowana ? commonly called ?dragon fish? or ?lucky fish? ? is
native to Southeast Asia and can grow to up to three feet in length. Under the
Endangered Species Act and international treaties, permits are required to export
endangered species from their country of origin, as well as import them into the
United States. The permitting system is designed to protect species by preventing
the creation of black markets for them in the United States and elsewhere. In the
United States, Asian Arowanas can sell on the black market value for as much as
$10,000.
The four defendants arrested yesterday were named in criminal complaints
filed in United States District Court in Los Angeles. They are:
* Bruce Penny, 36, of Cypress, California, who is accused of selling several
Asian Arowanas to a purchaser in New York;
* Anthony Robles, 29, of Carson, California, who is accused of purchasing
Asain Arowanas, selling some to Penny and helping Penny ship some of the
fish to the New York buyer;
* Peter Wu, 42, of Rowland Heights, California, a physician who is charged
with transporting and selling an Asian Arowana to an undercover agent with
the Fish & Wildlife Service; and
*William Ho, 25, of Boston, who is charged with selling several Asian
Arowanas to the New York Buyer.
All four defendants were released on bond after making their initial court
appearances. A United States Magistrate Judge in Los Angeles scheduled
preliminary hearings for Penny, Robles and Wu on October 11 and arraignments
on October 16. In federal court in Boston, Ho was advised that he could plead
guilty there or he was to appear in federal court in Los Angeles on October 10.
All four defendants are charged with one count of violating the Endangered
Species Act. The maximum sentence for each violation is five years in federal
prison and a fine of $250,000.
A criminal complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a
crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
CONTACT: Assistant United States Attorney Dorothy C. Kim
Release No. 06-125
If there are any doubts on whether fish forums are being monitored by f and w officials, here is pretty strong evidence that points to yes.
wow... now that's crazy.. why don't they just guard the boarder and keep the coutry safe and avoid the 9/11 attact. they concentrate too much on little things. but, it is still illegal though. F&W should legalize these fishes!!!
i don't see any reason why we need to ban them. if i'm correct it is only the US that has a ban on asian aro and the rest are enjoying them.
i don't see any reason why we need to ban them. if i'm correct it is only the US that has a ban on asian aro and the rest are enjoying them.The US hasn't made asian aros illegal. The Lacey Act states the US will abide by the laws made by the parent countries that a species belongs to. The home ranges of the asian aro have declared the wild populations to be threatened and have listed the species under CITES. The US Lacey Act merely supports the CITES status.
For the laws to change, change must start at the country of origin. Not in the US.
For the laws to change, change must start at the country of origin. Not in the US.