[meteorite-list] Dino Egg Smuggling

From: Pete Pete <rsvp321_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Mar 16 18:08:31 2006
Message-ID: <BAY104-F3736C6C2CBA709355D3F62F8E70_at_phx.gbl>

Hi, all,

Is this the same smuggler that was in the news shortly after the Tuscan
show?

Recent articles about Arabic relics and meteorites makes me wonder if
Africa's deserts will one day be shut down from "national heritage treasure"
meteorite exports, the way China has done.
No more cheap NWA's, eh?

Cheers,
Pete


http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/dinosaur-egg-smuggler-fined/2006/03/16/1142098571108.html



Dinosaur egg smuggler fined
Email Print Normal font Large font Illegally exported dinosaur eggs.

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AdvertisementBy David Braithwaite
March 16, 2006 - 11:54AM
Page 1 of 2 | Single page
An Australian mineral dealer, who pleaded guilty to smuggling fossilised
dinosaur eggs from China to the United States, flies home tonight.

Tamas "Thomas" Kapitany, 45, will spend a year on criminal probation and was
fined $27,175 in a plea bargain made to avoid trial, US authorities say.

Kapitany operates Crystal World in Melbourne, described on its website as
carrying Australia's largest range of mineral, meteorite and fossil
specimens.

Crystal World was open for business today, but Kapitany's daughter, Rachael,
would not comment on the case.

She said Kapitany would speak about the incident tomorrow after his return
to Melbourne.

"I'm not prepared to comment other than to say Thomas Kapitany is due back
in the country tomorrow and as far as I'm aware everything has been sorted
out," she said,

Kapitany also agreed to forfeit fossils seized by US investigators, said
Tammy Wilson of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

"These prehistoric treasures rightfully belong to China and the Chinese
people," said David Nehls, assistant special agent in charge of ICE
investigations at Los Angeles International Airport.

"It is shameful that someone would plunder specimens like this from another
nation simply to pleasure hobbyists and line their own pockets."

US officials will co-ordinate with Chinese authorities to determine what to
do with the fossils, said ICE.

Starting as far back as 1999, Kapitany sneaked eggs, which are deemed
protected relics under Chinese law, from eastern China to California by
labelling them minerals or geological specimens, prosecutors said.

Kapitany smuggled the eggs in through airports in the southern California
cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Wilson said.

Federal agents seized more than 140 boxes of smuggled eggs from a warehouse
in the city of El Cajon.

The plea came just weeks after ICE agents raided a gem and fossil show in
Tucson, Arizona, and confiscated almost eight tonnes of rare fossils
including dinosaur eggs and prehistoric pinecones evidently smuggled out of
Argentina.

The fossils were being sold by Argentina-based vendor Rhodo Company.

That ICE investigation is ongoing and no arrests have been made.

A statement posted on the Crystal World website headed "A day in the life of
a fossil dealer" describes a raid on its properties by Australian Federal
Government agents.

"The Department of Movable Cultural Heritage upon requests from the Chinese
and Argentine governments have decided to seize all fossils belonging to
these countries, even though dealers and collectors have [been] importing
specimens for over 30 years to my knowledge," it said.
Received on Wed 15 Mar 2006 11:31:23 PM PST