A foreign couple was arrested in Manaus going to miami by the federal police trying to smuggle dozens of amazonian fish.
The german, Heiko bleher, 64 years old, who identified himself as a researcher, and the 29 year old photopgrapher natalia khardina from uzbekistan, where arested after the xray machine at the airport showed a bunch of fish in their bags.
Along with the couple, a bunch of equipment was seized, such as prospecting equipment and stuff to analize the water. According to the delegate from the department of Catching Ambiental Crimes, Caio Porto Ferreira, it's not the first time that this german guy came to the region and tried to smuggle out native animals
The species were collected illegally in the basins of the Rio Negro and the Rio Solimoes, said the delegate.
The two strangers did not have official authorization to capture and research the animals. The only document they had was a permission to photograph, given the the Brasilian Institute of the Environment (Ibama). The couple was caught in flagrant for two crimes: transporting brasilian species without authorization (Law #9605/98 of the Environmental Crimes) and contraband and misleading (regarding them misleading the authorities), which are stated in the Brasilian Penal Code.
Hekio Bleher maintains a website called Aquapress, where he sells articles, photos, and other info about fish from all over the world. On the main page of his site, you can read the slogan "discovering an unknown world"
Hope that helped
The german, Heiko bleher, 64 years old, who identified himself as a researcher, and the 29 year old photopgrapher natalia khardina from uzbekistan, where arested after the xray machine at the airport showed a bunch of fish in their bags.
Along with the couple, a bunch of equipment was seized, such as prospecting equipment and stuff to analize the water. According to the delegate from the department of Catching Ambiental Crimes, Caio Porto Ferreira, it's not the first time that this german guy came to the region and tried to smuggle out native animals
The species were collected illegally in the basins of the Rio Negro and the Rio Solimoes, said the delegate.
The two strangers did not have official authorization to capture and research the animals. The only document they had was a permission to photograph, given the the Brasilian Institute of the Environment (Ibama). The couple was caught in flagrant for two crimes: transporting brasilian species without authorization (Law #9605/98 of the Environmental Crimes) and contraband and misleading (regarding them misleading the authorities), which are stated in the Brasilian Penal Code.
Hekio Bleher maintains a website called Aquapress, where he sells articles, photos, and other info about fish from all over the world. On the main page of his site, you can read the slogan "discovering an unknown world"
Hope that helped
