International Poaching and Smuggling Operation Uncovered

February 27, 2006

Release from:
NOAA

The Department of Justice has charged various individuals with violation of the Lacey Act for allegedly illegally harvesting and selling undersized California leopard sharks. Five of the six poachers were also charged with conspiracy. The nearly two-year long investigation conducted by NOAA Fisheries Service in conjunction with U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service; California Department of Fish & Game; United Kingdom's Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs Fish Health Inspectorate and Netherlands Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality General Inspection Service uncovered an international poaching and smuggling operation which dealt in the harvesting, sale and shipment of baby leopard sharks with an estimated market value of over $1.2 million.

Authorities estimate that thousands of juvenile leopard sharks were illegally harvested from San Francisco Bay over the last ten years and shipped to buyers in the United States and Europe. The European portion of the investigation uncovered sales of hundreds of juvenile sharks shipped through London and Amsterdam to buyers in England and Holland. These poachers are being prosecuted under the Lacey Act, a federal statute which prohibits the sale, trade or transportation of wildlife or wildlife products harvested or attained in violation of federal, state, tribal or foreign laws.

For more information, read the press release from the NOAA Fisheries Service Office for Law Enforcement.