Check this out, Smugglers Caught

[Spearo]

Show me where Fish & Wildlife agents job description states their jobs are to bust rapists, drug dealers, etc. These agents are doing what their job demands and what they were trained for.

I don't think you understand my point. My gripe is about the general misspending of my tax money. No wonder this state is bankrupt.

Surely rather than going to this cause, my tax money (and yours for that matter) would have been better spent pursuing real criminals. By real criminals I don't necessarily mean rapists and child molesters. Obviously that is not the CADFG's job.
At the top of my list is poachers. Which we have a big problem with in CA. Mainly the guys poaching Abalone to sell on the black market for $100+/lb.
A story of another Abalone poacher being busted would have been much more rewarding for me. However, even most of the poachers get nothing but a slap on the wrist and a fine unfortunately.
This story is nothing but a joke.

But it's okay now, I will sleep better at night knowing the evil Arowana smuggler is behind bars.

 

[Oddball]

Re-read post #27. This smuggling act, along with the crimes you list, are ALL crimes. Who's to say that any of this is a waste of time? If they're all crimes, they all need to be dealt with. You can't fit every agent on a abalone poaching interdiction vessel. And, this crime was a no-brainer. The smuggler broadcast his intentions on the internet. All it took was a drive to meet him when he arrived with the illegal fish.

 

[sazhar]

I agree with oddball here. The guy publicly announced his intention to break the law. It is not like there was a major sting operation and millions of tax dollars were spent. This was a lay up for the F&W agents, so why not take the points? True, it may be a bullcrap law that needs to be reviewed, but that is not their job. The lesson to be learned is to not post stuff on the internet that can get your butt thrown in jail.

 

[Jmata]

^ i agree too. They were just doing their job.

 

[clay winton]

Forget smuggling drugs. At 1,000 to 20,000 per fish. Look out Nemo

 

[MonsterMinis]

Oddball.. You scare me.. I am glad to hear though that not all confiscated illegals are destroyed. Though i do find it abit.. backwards. That said individual was not suppose to breed this endangered animal?.... You would think being able to breed an "endangered species" would be something encouraged.. not discouraged. I do agree that the individual should not have essentially "exclusive rights" to breeding and selling the fish. and I'm assumeing the juvies given to seaworld where used to swap specimines with other zoos holding the fish to increase the "native" bloodlines and expand their gene pool?.. I hope they wheren't just used as poker chips to pawn off to the highest bidder.

Greed astounds me. Most aquariasts woudl be delighted the shot to keep an asian. and it would be a shame to see these fish in our country, and not being actively attempted to be bred. and thats all a whole other debate..

IMO the F&W do okay.. I'm not impressed w/ the Wis DNR... But as a whole the job is needed. The judges just need to take it more seriousely imo, and start making a few examples for the rest of the smugglers/poachers/ect .. seems like every few months you hear about another smuggler from canada to the US w/ asians. no doubt snakeheads are next or just aren't as media worthy. other black trade pets as well. and it ain't gonna stop, and more funding will be needed... until people get more 'n a slap on the wrist for their infractions.

 

[Whynot91]

That is just sad, its people like that that make it harder for us hobbyists!

 

[killerfahaka]

The way i see it is, yes i want an asain aro as well as many on this site, but i'm not gona break the law or risk jail time to get one. If you are not happy with this story then do something to change the current law, don't beat down the Feds for doing their job.

Personally, i've had employee steal payroll check and money, when i called the cops they took the report but would not persue the case because they have too many other cases to deal with. I called the investgator about the stolen payroll check since the check was cashed and i had the person on video but the answer i got is the DA does not have the time to follow up on this small matter. i wanted to make sure this guy had record of theft so he doesn't continue to do this to other employer but that never happened and i took the loss.

NO CRIME IS TOO BIG OR TOO SMALL. Crime is a crime.