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 Editorials | Environmental | September 2007 
US-Mexico Sting Catches Five Men Trading Turtles, Skins
 Environment News Service
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Denver, Colorado - Five men were arrested Thursday for illegal international trade of exotic skins and parts manufactured from sea turtles and other protected species of wildlife. The arrests were made on the strength of two indictments by a federal grand jury in Denver on August 22.
The two indictments detail 54 conspiracy, smuggling and money-laundering charges. The defendants are accused of smuggling 25 separate shipments of wildlife skins and products between Mexico and the United States between early 2005 and today. The shipments contained more than 700 tanned skins of sea turtle, caiman, python and other protected species, and well over 100 items, such as boots, belts and wallets, manufactured from the skins of those species.
The indictments allege that nearly $60,000 was paid to the Mexican suppliers and of the illegal skins and products, in addition to "crossing fees" paid to the alleged smugglers.
Arrested in Denver were Carlos Leal Barragan, of Guzman, Jalisco, Mexico; and Esteban Lopez Estrada and Martin Villegas Terrones, both of Leon, Guanajuato, Mexico.
The other two men are Texas residents. Jorge Caraveo, of El Paso, Texas, was arrested in that city, and Oscar Cueva, of McAllen, Texas, was arrested there.
The men were caught as part of a three-year undercover operation conducted by federal agents of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that was part of a joint operation with Mexican authorities, according to federal officials.
Benito Perez, acting chief, Office of Law Enforcement of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was joined by Ronald Tenpas, acting assistant attorney general for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, and Troy Eid, U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado in announcing the arrests.
Each conspiracy count in the indictments carries a maximum penalty of five years incarceration and $250,000 in fines. Each smuggling and money laundering count carries a maximum penalty of 20 years incarceration and $500,000 in fines.
Sea turtles are protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, CITES, which prohibits international trade in sea turtles or their parts or products for commercial purposes, and also restricts international trade in many other species of wildlife involved in this case which are considered to be at risk of extinction.
Five of the world's seven species of sea turtles are listed as endangered in all or part of their range, according to the U.S. Endangered Species Act. A sixth species is listed as “threatened.” Six species of sea turtles are found along the coasts of Mexico.
The officials of both countries said in a statement that, "This joint operation represents a significant milestone in the ongoing cooperation between United States and Mexican law enforcement agencies with respect to protecting both countries’ wildlife and natural resources." |
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