Posted on 03/16/2014 12:26:45 PM PDT by nickcarraway
The man pleaded guilty to a smuggling charge Thursday
A man has admitted to smuggling thousands of dollars’ worth of dried sea cucumbers into the U.S. from Mexico, according to federal officials. On Thursday, Cheng Zhuo Liu, 50, of Chula Vista, Calif. appeared in federal court in San Diego. Liu pleaded guilty to smuggling 100 pounds of the endangered species on Oct. 3, 2013 by hiding them in his Hyundai’s spare tire area, according to U.S. Attorney Laura Duffy.
That amount of sea cucumbers has a market value of between $5,000 and $10,000.
The marine animals are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, so those who import them into the U.S. need a permit.
Duffy said Liu admitted he didn’t have any permits.
A black market has grown around the illegal sea cucumber trade in Asia, where Duffy said a pound might sell for $300.
Liu agreed to forfeit the sea cucumber seized. He faces a maxiumum sentence of five years in prison and a $20,000 fine on June 9.
Dried sea cucumber is used in Chinese cuisine as hoi sam, as well as for medicinal purposes.
Smuggling the animals has become a problem in Indonesia, Japan, Sri Lanka and Mexico. In the Caribbean Sea off the Yucatan Peninsula, illegal harvesting has decimated the sea cucumber populations. Rival gangs have clashed for control of the harvest, according to the U.S. Attorney.
Sea cucumbers have long, leathery bodies and are found on the ocean flood worldwide. The species Liu had is typically found in the Pacific Coast of Mexico, Central and South America, the Biodiversity Heritage Library says.
“I’m a little sea cucumber, short and stout.
This is my handle, and this is my snout!”
Seems like there is more enforcement of sea cucumber smuggling from Mexico than enforcing smuggling illegal aliens.
alright, I’ll say it...”Is that a sea cucumber in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?”
Are these creatures being farmed off of the coast of Mexico, and is all this some goofy enviroweenie regulation paid for by big pocket Chinese Sea Cucumber monopolists?
If we have said it once, we have said it a thousand times, those dam people eat everything, and for the wrong reasons. Need severe penalties for this character. Make him an example.
Is Lui a common name in Kalipornia??
Oh cmon its not like its a opossum, squirrel, pigeon, or a raccoon.
Is that a sea cucumber in your pants or......
Apparently orientals aren't into eating mexicans yet.
“What’r’ya infer?”
“Smuggling sea cucumbers.”
“Smugglin’ da cucumbers. ‘Zat whut’ther callin’it now?”
If we can stop sea cucumbers from entering , maybe someday we can send home all the Islamic islamonazis brought into USA these last few years?
I like cucumbers and onions, with vinegar and a bit of sugar.
I was making up a batch today and discovered my wife had used all the vinegar cleaning the coffee machine. I don't use sugar. I use sea salt and celery seed instead.
Sea salt and celery seed...., sounds good, I will try it out.
I did make some egg salad today with some celery seed. The wife doesn’t add the celery seed.
Since the sugar you use probably negates some of the sour, I will tell you to use some water to cut the vinegar. Also when my tomatoes come in I like to slice and put them in a bowl and add cucumbers and some of the juice and let them marinate for an hour or so. Whoa!
C is for cucumber.
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