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#1
12/04/2007, 02:06 PM
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NEWS: Calif. pet store manager smuggled endangered turtles into U.S.
NEWS: Calif. pet store manager smuggled endangered turtles into U.S.
Monday, December 3, 2007 (12-03) 12:57 PST San Francisco (AP) -- A 29-year-old pet store manager has pleaded guilty to smuggling endangered turtles from Asia and Australia and lying about it on U.S. Customs documents. Prosecutors said San Francisco resident Coleman Lau tried to hide 14 baby Fly River turtles inside his clothing when he returned from Hong Kong to San Francisco International Airport in March 2004. U.S. Attorney Scott N. Schools said Thursday that Lau knew it was illegal to import the turtles and lied on a customs declaration asking whether he was bringing wildlife into the U.S. Fly River turtles enjoy a protected status in their native countries and under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. The amphibians — which cost up to $500 at pet stores — grow to be approximately two feet long and are native to fresh water in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Australia. Customs officials who seized Lau's turtles handed them over to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, which found homes for them at a research center and in California zoos and aquariums. Lau said in court he has been manager of a San Francisco fish and aquarium store for several years. Lau could not immediately be reached for comment Monday. Lau, who is scheduled to be sentenced in February, faces a maximum penalty for each count of five years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.c.../n125706S89.DTL
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Sharkdude |
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#3
12/04/2007, 07:09 PM
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Its this kind of person that gives this ENTIRE industry a black eye!
Same with the people involved in the Leopard Shark bust last year. If all of you knew the firey hoops that law abiding stores have to jump through just to get live stock and keep doors open, your head would explode! There are proposed laws that are pushed through the state senate all the time that severely limit the entire industry. Most of these bills use incidents like this one as fuel to push it through fast and convince clueless politicians that it is a good thing. One example is a law that was passed about two years ago dictating that ALL pet stores are REQUIRED to provide free of charge care instructions for ALL LIVE ANIMALS sold. This goes for pets and feeder animals. Sound crazy? Well its the law! I can count on less than one hand stores that even offer care sheets for animals and fish. How about the Caulerpa situation? How many stores still have and sell that illegal organism? Dont get me started. I say throw the book at this guy, maybe it would stop people from breaking the law and making it harder on the rest of us law abiding people. Off the soap box and thanks for reading, tyler |
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#4
12/04/2007, 07:17 PM
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A geoduck in his pants should have been used to distract the customs agents.
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Up, down, turn around Please don't let me hit the ground Tonight I think I'll walk alone I'll find my soul as I go home |
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#5
12/04/2007, 07:42 PM
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Quote:
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#6
12/04/2007, 07:48 PM
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C'mon guys, only 9 species of C. are banned...
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Did I say that out loud? Good. Somebody needed to. |
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#7
12/04/2007, 10:34 PM
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wow..hmm..i wonder which fish store coleman is manager for...hint hint, this just adds to their already tarnished reputation.
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#9
12/04/2007, 10:36 PM
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sang..u would definitely remember if u stepped foot at the store. he shouldve been smugging some asian arrowanas..lol
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#11
12/05/2007, 09:54 PM
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It's a good start.
I figgure the powers that be are afraid to dig deeper, thinking the building is going to collapse on them, or if it doesn't they'll come out smelling like incense, and will have to take a shower before getting any when they get home.
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"Lahey was my mothers mating name" -Ricky |
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#12
12/05/2007, 10:05 PM
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are we talking about 6th ave here.
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#13
12/05/2007, 10:33 PM
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Quote:
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"Lahey was my mothers mating name" -Ricky |
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#14
12/06/2007, 12:09 AM
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dude can you guys just say it, what store is it......................
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#15
12/06/2007, 12:10 AM
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and speeking of Caulerpa, any body got some to give away?.....
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#16
12/06/2007, 12:29 AM
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What level of darkness do you seek black_kapre?
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Did I say that out loud? Good. Somebody needed to. |
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#18
12/06/2007, 02:36 AM
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proud manager of the only fish store i know with a flower shop in front.....hmmm ....i wonder which LFS
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#21
12/07/2007, 01:38 AM
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LOL, you guys are funny
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