Here’s a cautionary story for those bluegrassers who prefer the tone of tortoise shell picks.
Agents of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have indicted 10 people after a multi-year investigation for smuggling hawksbill tortoise shells as well as finished guitar picks and fiddle bows into the US from China. The hawksbill tortoise is listed as an endangered species under US law and commercial trade of such items is prohibited.
The value of the confiscated material was estimated at $8,000 and sentences may range between six and twelve months in jail and up to $20,000 in fines.
The Environmental News Service quotes the prosecutor in this case:
“Trafficking in endangered species doesn’t pay,” said Troy Eid, U.S. attorney for the District of Colorado. “We will pursue these offenders across the globe to help save sea turtles for future generations.”
Read the full ENS article online.
