Because Ricordea are attached to the reef substrate, Sanchez would utilize a hammer and chisel to break off the animals, and in doing so, take chunks of the reef with him. Sanchez personally collected some of the Ricordea and other reef creatures that he sold off-island. It is illegal to harvest Ricordea, zoanthids, and anemones in Puerto Rico if the specimens are going to be sent off-island or otherwise sold commercially, nor is there a permit available to do so. These animals are colorful in natural light, but what makes them particularly interesting to aquarium owners is that they “glow” under the UV lights that are typically used in high-end saltwater aquariums. Members of the genus form part of the reef structure and spend their adult lives fastened in place to the reef. These animals are known as “rics,” “polyps,” or “mushrooms” in the aquarium industry. One of the most popular items that Sanchez sent off-island was a coral-like organism from the genus Ricordea. Sanchez sent live specimens to customers in the mainland United States and foreign countries by commercial courier services. A large part of the business was devoted to the sale of native Puerto Rican marine species that are popular in the saltwater aquarium trade. In 2013 through 2016, Aristides Sanchez, of Arecibo, was the owner of the Arecibo-based saltwater aquarium business, Wonders of the Reef Aquarium. Photo shows other specimens in one of the business’ saltwater tanks.The Justice Department announced today that a Puerto Rico man was sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison for felony violations of the Lacey Act that involved the trafficking and false labeling of protected reef creatures as part of an effort to subvert Puerto Rican laws designed to protect coral reef organisms. Ricordea polyps illegally harvested by the defendant. Notice that the polyps are still attached to reef substrate. Ricordea polyps illegally harvested by the defendant for use in the aquarium trade. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico. Hale of the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section along with Assistant U.S. The case is being prosecuted by Christopher L. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration with support from the USFWS Inspectors. This case was investigated as part of Operation Rock Bottom and Operation Borinquen Chisel by Special Agents of the U.S. Torres pleaded guilty to similar charges on June 9, 2020. Vargas will be sentenced at a future date designated by the court. While there is some variation in the price of Ricordea depending on coloration, size, and other factors, the aggregate retail value of illegal Ricordea shipped by Vargas was worth at least $90,000. From January 2014 to March 2016, Vargas sent or caused to be sent at least 40 shipments of marine species that were illegally harvested in the waters of Puerto Rico. In order to cover up the nature of his shipments and to avoid detection from governmental inspection authorities, the scheme included falsely labeling many of the live shipments as inanimate objects. In Puerto Rico, it is illegal to harvest Ricordea, zoanthids, and anemones specimens if they are going to be sent off-island or otherwise sold commercially, nor is there a permit available to do so. However, we do not like illegally collected corals from protected reef environments. The Department of Justice correctly points out that reef aquarium keepers like the “glow” under the “UV lights” that are typically used in high-end saltwater reef aquariums. Luis Vargas collected the popular genus Ricordea and sent that genus to customers in the United States waiting for the live specimens. On Monday, he pleads guilty to export smuggling and two felony violations of the Lacey Act for collecting, purchasing, falsely labeling, and shipping protected marine invertebrate species as part of an effort to subvert Puerto Rican law designed to protect corals and other reef species, the Department of Justice announced. Luis Joel Vargas Martell (Vargas) was the co-owner of a home-based saltwater aquarium business, Carebbean Reefers (spelling error intentional) that also operated online through the EBay store “Redragon1975”.
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