Couple admitted to smuggling the skull of an endangered turtle in their carry-on bag. They also raved about a relative’s \”trophy room’ full of taxidermized mountain lions, a wolverine and other animals. They were found guilty of breaking state wildlife regulations and were fined $1,865 and $ 1,015, respectively. The United States is the \”source, destination, and transit location\” for illicit wildlife and animal product trafficking, according to a Moody’s report. The couple also received a one-year probation prohibiting them from hunting or associating with hunters. They each risk an extra $1,.000 if they violate the federal wildlife laws. The case shows how important it is for our wildlife officers to be alert at all times, said the CDFW’s chief of law enforcement, Nathaniel Arnold. The U.S. is the third-largest criminal trafficking operation worldwide, behind drug trafficking and counterfeit foods, Moody’s said. The report added that wildlife trafficking of both live animals and animal parts is known to fund transnational criminal organisations and their violent activities all over the world.
