Red Notice for rhino poacher

LYON, France – Interpol has issued a Red Notice international wanted persons notice for a man wanted for poaching rhinos on Nepalese park land.

According to Interpol, Rajkumar Praja, 30, of Nepal, is being sought to serve 15 years in prison for allegedly poaching rhinos in the Chitwan National Park and trading their horns on the international market. Authorities in Nepal dismantled a network of 13 poachers earlier this year as part of the investigation.

Police arrested the alleged kingpin, 33-year-old Buddhi Bahadur Praja, in September along with eight poachets and four smugglers who brought the horns to neighboring Tibet, according to media accounts, which claim the group is behind 12 rhino slayings in the past six years. Officers also seized two firearms --- described as a rifle and musket or "country made pistol" --- and four bullets (yes, only four).

Plea in horn, tusk case

The owner of a Chinese antique business has pleaded guilty to rhino and tusk smuggling in connection with a US Fish and Wildlife Service investigation. Here are the details:

Ringleader Of International RhinoSmugglingConspiracy PleadsGuilty To Wildlife Trafficking Crimes
Dec. 19, 2013

WASHINGTON – Zhifei Li, the owner of an antique business inChina, pleaded to organizing an illegal wildlife smuggling conspiracy in which 30 rhinoceros horns and numerous objects made from rhino hornand elephant ivory worth more than $4.5 million were smuggled from the United States to China.

Li, 29, of Shandong, China,the owner of Overseas Treasure Finding in Shandong, pleaded to a total of 11 counts: one countof conspiracy to smuggle and violate the Lacey Act; seven counts of smuggling; one count of illegal wildlife trafficking in violation of the Lacey Act;and two countsof making false wildlife documents.

Li was arrested in FloridainJanuary2013on federalchargesbroughtunder seal in New Jersey and shortly after arrivinginthe country. Before he was arrested, he purchased two endangeredblackrhinoceros horns froman undercover US Fish and Wildlife Service agent in a Miami Beach hotel room for $59,000 while attending an antique show. Li wasarrestedaspart of “Operation Crash” – a nationwide effortledby the USFWSand the Justice Department to investigate and prosecute those involved in the black market trade of rhinoceros horns and otherprotected species.

In papers filed in Newarkfederalcourt, Li admitted that he wasthe “boss” of three antique dealers in the United States whom he paid to help obtain wildlife items and smuggle them to him via Hong Kong. One of those individuals was Qiang Wang,aka “JeffreyWang,” who was sentencedto 37 months in prison on Dec. 5, 2013, inNew York. Li arranged for financingto pay for the wildlife, purchased and negotiated the price, directedhow to smuggle the items out of the United States, and obtainedthe assistance of additional collaborators in Hong Kong to receive the smuggled goods and then smuggle them to him in mainland China.

In pleading guilty, Li admitted that he sold 30 smuggled, raw rhinoceros horns worth approximately $3 million – approximately $17,500 per pound –to factories in China where rawrhinoceros horns are carved into fake antiques known as Zuo Jiu (which means “to make it as old” in Mandarin). In China, there is a centuries old tradition of drinkingfromanintricately carved “libation cup” made from a rhinoceros horn. Owning or drinking from such a cup is believed by some to bringgood health, and true antiques are highly prized by collectors. The escalatingvalue of such items has resulted in an increased demand for rhinoceros hornthat hashelped fuela thriving black market, including recently carvedfake antiques.

According to the charges, plea agreement and a detailed joint factual statement filed in in Newarkfederalcourt:

The investigation of Li began in November 2011, after a confidential informant sold two raw rhino horns to a middleman at the Vince Lombardi rest stop on the New Jersey Turnpike in an OperationCrashundercover sale. These government-supplied rhino horns were, in turn,sold to a Long Island City antiques dealer who wasworkingfor Li.

At Li’s direction, raw rhino horns were hidden by wrappingtheminduct tape, hiding them in porcelain vases and falsely describing them on customs and shipping documents, including by labeling them as porcelain vasesor handicrafts.

Li purchased 25 raw rhino horns, including 13 endangeredblackrhinoceros horns weighing approximately 151 pounds, through connections in New York and New Jersey, and another five rawrhino horns weighing at least 20 pounds through an accomplice in Dallas, Texas.

Li sold whole rhino horns to factories where they would be carved into fake antiques. The leftover pieces from the carvingprocesswere sold for alleged “medicinal” purposes even though rhino horn is made of compressed keratin, the same material inhumanhairand nailsand hasno proven medical efficacy.

Between 2011 and 2013, Li purchasedapproximately60carvedivory items from U.S. auction houses with an approximate marketvalue of $500,000,all of which were smuggled to China at Li’s direction.

Before arriving in Miami, Li sent a text message to the LongIsland City antiques dealer saying that he had as much as $500,000to spendinthe U.S. on antiques and rhino horn. When purchasingtwo rhino horns froman undercover USFWS agent at a Miami Beach hotel, Li told the covert agent that he was interested in buyingmore rhino horns regardlessof quality, as much as the agent could find, and inquired if the horns couldbe shipped directly to Hong Kong.

In April 2012, after a Dallas-based accomplice purchaseda large,eight-pound raw rhino horn for Li in Florida worth more than $140,000,Li sent the dealer an email directing himto cutthe hornintotwo pieces,wrap them in electrical tape, and send them to Hong Kong in separate packages. The email included a photo of the rhino horn with a red line drawnthoughit indicating where the lengthy horn should be cut.

After Li’s conspirator in Long Island City purchasedtwo rawelephant tusks for Li weighing more than 100 pounds, Li sent instructions by emailthat the shipper should declare the contents as “automobile parts”and notuse the word “tusk” on the shipping documents.

Li smuggled libation cups carvedfrom rhinoceros horns fromthe U.S. to Hong Kong. Rhino carvings valued as much as $242,500 were sold to Li’s customers in China. In early 2013, one of those customers,ShusenWei, pleaded guilty in the Southern District of Florida to knowingly buying a smuggled rhino carving from Li.

The plea agreement requiresLi to forfeit $3.5 million in proceeds of his criminal activity as well as several Asian artifacts. Also, variousivory objects seized by the USFWS as part of the investigation willbe surrendered. The maximum potentialpenalty is10years for eachof the smuggling counts and five years for eachof the otheroffenses,aswellasa $250,000 fine per count, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.

Below: A covert photo of Li getting horny in a Miami hotel after making a purchase from an undercover USFWS agent. Photo courtesy USFWS.

On getting lost

On a recent out-of-town trip, I decided to get lost. Well, maybe not lost. I wanted to scout around, take a route back home that I've never used before, see something new.

I've been to the city numerous times for work, but I've always visited the same half a dozen places, and that was about it. So last week, I decided to head off and work my way back on a path I've never venutred.

The inevitable happened. I veered off course and at some point ended up getting lost.

And it was great.

Tooling around the city as downtown turned to residental neighborhoods turned to edge-of-town forests, I resisted the urge to pull up a map on my smart phone. If I had remembered the ball compass in the glovebox, I would have ignored it. And forget about pulling over to ask for directions, sometimes it's better to figure things out on your own.

Ever since exploring the woods and towns around my home growing up, I've loved filling in the blank spaces on my mental maps. And the best way to do that is dive in and let your intuition and your sense of direction take over. That's how you find new things. Like Goblin's Gulch, a small private road on the outskirts of town I discovered during my drive. It's not on any map (I'm still kicking myself for not stopping to photograph the sign).

When I was ready, I used a few basic navigation techniques to keep from going too far out. Like a big river in the woods, the interstate I usually take runs north and south, and I was somewhere to the east of it. So when I wanted to get back on track, I just headed west. Which way was west? I looked at the sun's position, checked my watch and took into consideration that the sun passes to the south in the fall.

In no time, I found an onramp and was headed back home.

Plea in Art of the Past probe

Here's the ICE account on the latest in the Art of the Past investigation:

NJ man pleads to selling stolen South Central Asian antiquities

NEW YORK – A Manhattan art gallery manager pleaded guilty last week in his role in coordinating a large-scale conspiracy to sell stolen Indian antiquities worth tens of millions of dollars.

Aaron Freedman, 41, of Princeton, NJ, worked for nearly two decades as a manager at Art of the Past, a gallery that served as a front for the sale of stolen and looted Buddhist and Hindu statues. As the store’s manager, Freedman pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy in the for conspiring to possess stolen property, along with five counts of possession of stolen property.

He admitted to assisting Art of the Past owner Subhash Kapoor, 64, with shipments of stolen antiquities from India, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Cambodia, as well as providing false provenances. As part of the conspiracy, Freedman assisted with the sale of stolen artwork to galleries and museums across the world, which included the sale of a stolen $5 million Shiva Nataraja statue looted from the Sivan Temple in India, which is now on display at the National Gallery of Australia and the attempted sale of a 2nd century B.C. Bharhut Stupa Yaksi pillar sculpture valued at approximately $15 million, which is now in Homeland Security Investigations custody pending forfeiture.

In total, Freedman pleaded guilty to six felony counts related to possession of stolen property valued at roughly $35 million. He has also agreed to cooperate with the ongoing HSI investigation and prosecution of Kapoor, who is currently in the custody of Indian authorities for arranging the theft of statues from significant cultural and religious sites in that country. Kapoor also faces charges in New York County for possession of stolen property.

"Kapoor is by far the biggest smuggler, in terms of numbers of antiquities stolen and their market value, that we have seen," said James T. Hayes Jr., special agent in charge for HSI New York. "HSI special agents continue to search and seek recovery of dozens of bronze and sandstone images of Hindu and Buddhist deities sold by Kapoor."

Sentence in rhino horn cup smuggling

Here's the latest in Operation Crash rhino horn prosecutions from the U.S Department of Justice:

New York Antiques Dealer Sentenced to Prison for Wildlife Smuggling
Dec. 5, 2013

Qiang "Jeffrey" Wang, a New York antiques dealer, was sentenced in federal court in Manhattan today to 37 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release for conspiracy to smuggle Asian artifacts made from rhinoceros horns and ivory and violate wildlife trafficking laws,

Wang was arrested in February 2013 as part of “Operation Crash,” a nation-wide crackdown in the illegal trafficking in rhinoceros horns, for his role in smuggling “libation cups” carved from rhinoceros horns from New York to China. Wang was sentenced Dec. 5 in the Southern District of New York.

According to the information, plea agreement and statements made during court proceedings:

In China, there is a tradition dating back centuries of intricately carving rhinoceros horn cups. Drinking from such a cup was believed by some to bring good health, and antique carvings are highly prized by collectors. Libation cups and other ornamental carvings are particularly sought after in China and in other Asian countries, as well as in the United States. The escalating value of such items has resulted in an increased demand for rhinoceros horn that has helped fuel a thriving black market, including fake antiques made from more recently hunted rhinoceros.

Wang admitted to participating in a conspiracy to smuggle objects carved from rhinoceros horn and elephant ivory out of the United States knowing that it was illegal to export such items without required permits. Due to their dwindling populations, all rhinoceros and elephant species are protected under international trade agreements. Wang falsely labeled the packages in order to conceal the true contents and did not declare them as required. Special Agents with the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service executed a search of Wang’s apartment in Flushing, New York, and found documents showing Wang was involved in buying rhino horn and ivory artifacts and smuggling them to China. Agents seized two ivory carvings, including one found hidden behind Wang’s bed that were forfeited as part of the sentence.

Numerous photographs of raw and carved rhinoceros horn, including approximately 10 different raw rhinoceros horns, were found on Wang’s computer and telephone consistent with a common practice of emailing or texting photographs of items for sale in order to receive instructions on whether to purchase the items and how much to pay. According to prosecutors, Wang had told other dealers that he was seeking raw rhino horns to send to China.

In sentencing Wang , Judge Forrest said that his behavior helped “create and sustain a marketplace for goods made from endangered wildlife.” Judge Forrest also said that Wang’s conduct was “illegal and extremely troubling.”

In addition to the prison term, Judge Forrest ordered Wang, 34, will have to forfeit certain ivory goods in his possession, and he is banned him from all future trade in elephant ivory and rhino horn.

Fowey part of preservation agreement

<iframe src="//player.vimeo.com/video/72920037" width="500" height="281" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen></iframe> <p><a href="http://vimeo.com/72920037">2013-HMS Fowey, Biscayne National Park</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user11872865">NPS Submerged Resources Center</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>

The remains of a 250-year-old British ship that fought France and Spain and was later at the heart of a modern maritime salvage law case is now being preserved under an international agreement between the United States and England.

Last month, the two countries entered into a memorandum of understanding on the HMS Fowey, a fifth-rate frigate that sank near what is now Miami after crashing into a coral reef in 1748.

“This is the latest step in the continuing preservation effort for Fowey, and solidifies our relationship with the British people in protecting our shared heritage for the enjoyment and education of future generations,” said Brian Carlstrom, superintendent of Biscayne National Park, where the Fowey wreckage is located underwater.

According to National Park Service officials, the agreement recognizes British title to the wreck and the intention of the U.S. park service to continue to care for the site in accordance with the Sunken Military Craft Act of 2004 and the UNESCO convention on Underwater Cultural Heritage. The National Park Service and the British Navy will work together on caring for the site under the agreement.

Launched in 1744, HMS Fowey worked Europe around the English Channel and Gibraltar, battling French ships before it was reassigned to the Caribbean and waters off the New World's east coast. It captured the Spanish ship St. Juan y Tadicos in June 1748 and was escorting the vessel and British merchant ships to Virginia when one of the merchant ships collided with the reef. In coming to the ship's aid, the Fowey also got stuck on the reef.

The crew climbed aboard the surviving vessels and headed for Charleston, and the Spaniards were then sent to Havana.

And then nothing happened for some two centuries. Everyone forgot where the Fowey sank, the United States acquired Florida from Spain, and the state of Florida gave the area around the wreck to the federal government to turn it into a park.

Then in 1978, Gerald Klein found the what was left of the Fowey while diving with friends (it wasn't identified as the Fowey until years later). He applied for salvage title in Admiralty Court in 1979, but the U.S. government stepped in to challenge Klein's claim. The court sided with the government, finding that the wreckage was historically significant and embedded in the land, which was a national park.

"It is without question that Congress had the power to exercise dominion and control over the wreck, and the statutory evidence is overwhelming that it had the intent. It is clear that the United States was in constructive possession of the wreck at the time the plaintiff discovered it embedded in public land," the ruling states.

Today, the site is closed to the public. The ship does have a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/HMS-Fowey/228648567159511">Facebook </a>page, and the park has a <a href="http://www.nps.gov/bisc/index.htm">website </a>.

Above is a video tour of what's left of the Fowey, produced by the National Park Service's Submerged Resources Center.

Roman pitcher, gold returned to Afghanistan

The people of Afghanistan are getting ancient gold ornaments and an old Roman wine pitcher that had apparently been looted from the country and discovered in the United States as part of an investigation into antiquities trafficking.

Earlier this month, the items were officially returned to Afghan authorities during a ceremony at their embassy in Washington, D.C. According to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials, border protection officers discovered the artifacts in a shipment at Newark Liberty International Airport in March 2011.

The investigation revealed the items were headed for a New York man to be passed on to another New Yorker suspected of "dealing in looted cultural property," ICE officials said.

Authorities described the artifacts as follows: The vase is a 12.75-inch Roman oinochoe,or wine pitcher, from the 5th to 8th century A.D. Also returned were three 4-by-3.25-inch5thcenturyB.C. gold foil appliques depictingantelopes and two antique coiled gold ornaments from approximately the 17thcentury, weighingapproximately one pound.

This marks the four repatriation of looted property to Afghanistan. Earlier returns include:

-- A late 19th century historic "jezail" rifle ammunition speed loader returned June 2013. The ammunition speed loader had disappeared from the Kabul National Museum in the years after the Soviets withdrew from Afghanistan.

-- Eight Bronze Age circa 2,000 B.C. artifacts returned in May 2008. The artifacts, likely looted from northern tombs, had been illegally removed from Afghanistan and sold in the United States.

-- Two rare coins returned in May 2005. They were estimated to be more than 2,000 years old and were looted during the unrest following the departure of Russian forces in 1988. The Indo-Greek coins of Agathokles, dated between 171 and 160 B.C., were looted from Kabul Taliban factions.

Disembodied hand holding foil appliques depicting antelopes that were returned to Afghanistan. Photo courtesy of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Surviving the dash

There comes a time in life when one just has to dive into the mud.

For me, that time came last month, just short of the finish line for the Warrior Dash 2013 obstacle race. Strands of barbed wire hung a foot above the mud pit in front of me, and at first I tried to wade across the thigh deep muck and duck the wires. But the first barbed line snagged the back of my shirt as I bent underneath, and I decided "what the heck, this is what it's all about." I belly flopped into the mud and started crawling.

The splash caught the left lens on my glasses as I settled into the brackish slime, and somewhere in the crowd a voice cheered on my decision.

I had expected the mud earlier. I spent the prior 50 minutes running, walking, panting, jumping, sweating, running, walking again and climbing cross three miles of hilly backwoods west of Des Moines. Never having run a race outside of gym class, I signed up for the obstacles, but it was the hills the did me in.

The first challenge was a series of walls. Up one side, down the other, with footholds. After that came tires, kind of like the football drill, but more. Instead of stepping in the middle of the wheel, I chose to walk on the sidewalls for a quicker pace. At the end of the tire field was a mountain of tires to climb and then a semi trailer to crawl under, I rolled under because it was faster and took less effort.

After more running, it was more walls. Climb over one and then crawl, or roll, under a waist-high fences.

Then more running, into the woods, down a hill and along a dry creek bed. I think the plan was to have a flowing creek. A teaser on the Warrior Dash Twitter feed boasted a babbling brook ready for runners. But it has been a hot, dry few weeks leading up to the race, and the parched atmosphere had sucked up any trace of moisture. Too bad. The creek would have been refreshing. The trees offered shade, but the rugged path threatened to twist ankles into shattered stumps.

At the top of the next hill was a challenge using ropes to climb a ramped wall. You'd walk on the wall and pull yourself along. As I watched to figure out a strategy, a woman on the obstacle lost her footing and went splat into the wall. She slowly slid down. I grabbed another rope and headed up and over. The other side, also an incline, had another rope. My rope was snipped about half way, so I went to the end and slid the rest of the way.

Down the field was a low chain cargo net to climb across. More running and then a line of trenches topped by barbed wire and pointy branches. They were too narrow to roll, so crawling on hands and knees was in order.

More running, down and up a ravine, then crawl about 15 to 20 feet under a low-hanging net. This is where I remembered that rolling for extended distance causes disorientation. At the end of the net were tank traps to crawl under.

From there, it was back into the woods. Emerging from the trees, I found an animal bone embedded in the dirt and kicked it loose. At least I'm pretty sure it came from an animal. Across the field were cargo nets hung vertically to transverse. Then came the tough obstacle --- a series of chest-deep pits separated by dirt mounds. Climb down one pit, climb out the other side climb up the mound, climb down the mound and into the next pit and so on for four or five pits. Climbing into the first pit, I was disappointed when I didn't find mud. They had promised mud. Another runner passed me, shaving off a few seconds by jumping over the pits. I decided against the maneuver, not wanting to risk a bad landing.

As I passed the next water station, I overheard some racers tell a staff member about a twisted ankle at the last challenge.

From there, it was down a hill, up what seemed to be the longest hill. I stopped at the top and leaned against the fence to catch my breath before moving on. At the bottom of the path was a set of balance beams high over a man-made pond. Part of me wanted to drop into the drink just to cool off, but instead I scooted across in a careful fencing stance, advancing with the right foot and following with the left.

Around the corner was the race's signature Warrior Roast, two lines of fire to jump. The fires were deceptive. They looked small, but the heat radiated up, making the jumps more intense. Adding to the danger is the fact that most runners were clad shirts and shorts made of synthetic material, which has a low flash point. Sure, it's good for running and wicks moisture, but it also fuels fire. One misstep and the flames will torch the fabric, searing the molten mess to flesh.

In case anyone ignited while jumping the roast, the mud crawl under the barbed wire came next. Once I embraced the mud, the rest was easy. Some ahead tried to stay upright, wading through and struggling to keep their footing. The mud was runny, mostly water, so crawling meant floating on top, reaching down to the bottom and pulling across with hands.

Crossing the finish line earned a medal (actually a bottle opener on a ribbon, which I promptly lost when I placed it on top of my car while changing into clean clothes). The shoe tracking chip was traded for a free beer, and after three miles, domestic light brew never tasted better.

Life sentences in pirate attack

Three pirates captured by Navy SEALs during a botched hijacking are headed to prison. Here's the Department of Justice synopsis of the case:

<blockquote><strong>Somali Pirates Sentenced to Multiple Life Sentences in Murders of Four Americans Aboard SV Quest</strong>

November 14, 2013

NORFOLK, VA—Three Somali pirates have been sentenced to life for their roles in the attack on the Quest in 2011.

Ahmed Muse Salad, a/k/a “Afmagalo,” 27, Abukar Osman Beyle, 33, and Shani Nurani Shiekh Abrar, 31, who were previously found guilty of piracy, murder, violence against maritime navigation, conspiracy to commit violence against maritime navigation resulting in death, kidnapping resulting in death, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, hostage taking resulting in death, conspiracy to commit hostage taking resulting in death, and multiple firearms offenses, were sentenced this week.

Salad, Beyle, and Abrar were all sentenced to 21 life sentences, 19 consecutive life sentences, two concurrent life sentences, and 30 years consecutive, for their roles in the Feb. 22, 2011, murders of four Americans aboard the sailing vessel Quest. The victims included: Scott Underwood Adam, Jean Savage Adam, Phyllis Patricia Macay and Robert Campbell Riggle.

Salad, Beyle, and Abrar, were indicted in a 26-count indictment on July 8, 2011, and were found guilty by a federal jury on all 26 counts on July 8, 2013. According to court records and evidence at trial, Salad, Beyle, and Abrar,along with co-conspirators, gained control of the Quest while armed with firearms and a rocket-propelled grenade and took the four Americans hostage on Feb. 18, 2011. Their plan was to take the hostages to Somalia, where they and their additional co-conspirators in Somalia could commence ransom negotiations. While they sailed toward Somalia, they took turns standing guard over the hostages; at the same time, United States Navy ships headed towards the Quest to aid the hostages.

On Feb. 22, 2011, without provocation and before the hostages could be rescued by members of the military, a co-conspirator fired an RPG in the general direction of the USS Sterett. Witnesses testified that sustained firing came from the Quest and that glass could be seen breaking on the starboard side of the Quest. Witnesses also testified that Salad, Beyle, and Abrar, were the shooters and responsible for the deaths of Scott Adam, Jean Adam, Phyllis Macay and Robert Riggle. After the gunfire died down, the Navy dispatched SEALS to the Quest. The pirates aboard the Quest began surrendering and some were seen throwing AK-47 rifles into the water.</blockquote>

Ivory crushed

Today, the government will smash tons of ivory that agents seized in trafficking operations over decades.

Dubbed "Ivory Crush," the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service operation is designed to send a message that the United States won't tolerate poaching and the illegal tusk trade.

Although the Philippines, Kenya and Gabon have destroyed contraband ivory in those countries, this will be the first time the United States has destroyed large quantities.

"As a matter of principle and policy, the Service does not sell confiscated wildlife derived from endangered and threatened species," Service officials said in a prepared release.

About 6 tons of tusks and carved ivory from African and Asian elephants that was seized since the 1980s is set for destruction. The service will keep some ivory for educational and training purposes.

The process involves crushing he confiscated ivory into pieces that are too small to be of commercial value.

Below is a video from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service about Operation Crush.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_C0ZET_7OS4&amp;w=420&amp;h=315]

Korean artifacts seized

Earlier this year, we wrote about looted currency plates that were returned to South Korea. Now Korea is in line to get more missing antiquities following a failed auction inquiry. Customs agents seized seals from the late 1800s and early 1900s that had been removed from the country at the height of the Korean War.

Below is the Immigration and Customs Enforcement summation of the case:

HSI seizes 9 ancient Korean artifacts in Southern California

SEOUL – U.S. Customs agents seized nine seals of the Korean Empire and Joseon Dynasty earlier this month in San Diego. The cultural artifacts were turned over to HSI special agents by the family of a deceased Marine lieutenant, who had served in the Korean War. The lieutenant had found the seals in 1950 in a ditch near the Deoksugung Palace, which had just been ransacked by Chinese and North Korean soldiers.

The seizure is part of a joint investigation by Homeland Security Invrstigations Seoul and San Diego with the assistance of South Korea's Cultural Heritage Administration and the Supreme Prosecutor's Office in Seoul.

The nine seals include three national seals of the Korean Empire, one royal seal of the Korean Empire and five signets of the Joseon Royal Court of the Joseon Dynasty. The Korean Empire (1897-1910) succeeded the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910).

"The nine Korean seals recovered by HSI special agents are worth millions in the antiquities business, but they are priceless to South Korea," said HSI Attaché Seoul Taekuk Cho.

"The nine Korean seals recovered by HSI are invaluable to South Korea as they represent Gojong, the first emperor of the Korean Empire," CHA Acting Administrator Young Dae Park said.

National seals and royal seals are the two main types of seals made by the Korean government. National seals were made for practical uses, mostly to stamp on the government's official documents. Royal seals were carved to commemorate royal rituals. Among the seals seized were Hwangjejibo (Seal of Emperor), the national seal made upon an establishment of the Korean Empire in 1897 and Sugangtaehwangjebo (Royal Seal of ex-Emperor Sugang), the royal seal carved to commemorate the 1907 royal ritual. Both Yuseojibo (Seal of Yuseo) and Junmyeongjibo (Seal of Junmyeong) were used by the government of the Korean Empire for official purposes such as appointing the government officials. Five other signets were used to stamp on the books or paintings in the Joseon Royal court.

In September, HSI Washington special agents received information from a D.C.-based antiquities expert that a man residing in Escondido, Calif., had contacted them in an effort to find out if the seals were valuable. HSI Washington forwarded photographs of the seals that were provided to the antiquities expert to HSI Attaché Seoul. HSI Attaché Seoul provided the photographs to the CHA, which determined that the seals appeared to be official seals of the Joseon Dynasty.

In October, the CHA and SPO International Cooperation Center (ICC) requested HSI Seoul's assistance in recovering the seals.

HSI Attaché Seoul provided the information to assist in locating and recovering the cultural property, which was illegally exported into the United States. Subsequently, the seals were seized pursuant to abandonment of property form and in violation of the Cultural Property Implementation Act.

According to the Korean National Property Act, the seals fall under the category of Korean national property, which is illegal to transfer or export.</blockquote>

Aquarium indictment

Officials at a non-profit aquarium in Idaho allegedly turned to illegal trafficking to stock its exhibits.

Earlier this week Ammon Covino, 40, and Christopher Conk, 40, pleaded guilty to conspiring to transport spotted eagle rays and lemon sharks from the Florida Keys, knowing they were intended to be sold in violation of law.

According to authorities, both men were officers at the Idaho Aquarium in Boise in 2012 when they directed a company in Florida to send the sea critters from the Keys to Idaho and bypass the permit process required for the shipments. They paid using the aquarium's credit cards, court records state.

What the two didn't know was that the business owner was cooperating with federal authorities, and the phone conversations and text messages were recorded.

Canyon death at Zion's Subway

ZION NATIONAL PARK, Utah --- An Ohio woman died after a fall while working her way through a canyon at Zion National Park in Utah.

The accident happened Thursday, Sept. 5, in the Subway, a section of the left fork of North Creek, while Cheri Haas was leading a group of friends, according to the National Park Service. Haas fell more than 100 feet.

Below is the park service account of what happened:

<blockquote>It appears she missed a hard right turn down a steep 4th class scramble and instead went towards a cliff edge, when she slipped and fell from view. The woman's boyfriend rappelled down to her while the other two members of the group hiked out and phoned for help.

</blockquote>

The route takes seven to nine hours to complete and requires working past numerous boulders, ledges and waterfalls, as well as wading and swimming through several miles of cold water.

Plates returned to South Korea

This week, North Korea got Dennis Rodman, and South Korea got something more cultural. In a first for immigration officials, a 100-year-old currency printing plate was returned to South Korea after it was taken during the Korean War. Here's the ICE rundown on how the country can return to printing old money.

<blockquote><strong>ICE returns Joseon Dynasty cultural artifact to South Korea</strong>
Sept. 3, 2013

SEOUL, South Korea – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement returned a Hojo currency plate, looted from the Deoksu Palace in Seoul during the Korean War, to the government of South Korea during a repatriation ceremony.

The plate, which dates back to 1893 during the Joseon Dynasty and is one of only three in existence, was unlawfully exported to the United States. It was later seized in New York following an investigation by ICE's Homeland Security Investigations special agents in Detroit. This repatriation marks the first time ICE has repatriated a cultural artifact to South Korea.

HSI Regional Attaché for Korea and Japan Taekuk Cho turned over the artifact to U.S. Ambassador Sung Y. Kim, who presented it to the Government of Korea Tuesday during a repatriation ceremony at the Supreme Prosecutor's Office in Seoul. The plate will be housed in the National Palace museum at Gyeongbuk Palace.

HSI special agents in New York arrested Won Young Youn, 54, formerly of Fort Lee, N.J., in January for illegally purchasing the currency plate from Oxford, Mich., auction house owner James Amato. The currency plate was recovered by HSI in New York subsequent to Youn's arrest. Amato, 50, was subsequently arrested in February on charges of making false statements and for transporting and selling the artifact.

According to the HSI investigation, Amato, the owner of Midwest Auction Galleries, sold the currency plate in 2010 to Youn for $35,000. Amato sold the plate on behalf of the family of a deceased American serviceman, who reportedly brought it back to Michigan after a tour of duty in the Korean War.

While the item was listed for sale and before Youn's purchase, Amato and Youn were contacted by officials with the Korean Embassy and the U.S. State Department, and advised that the sale of the item could be in violation of the National Stolen Property Act.

After the sale, HSI launched an investigation into the item, which experts believe is one of three Hojo currency plates still in existence from the 1890s. The currency plates ushered in modern currency printing methods in Korea.

To avoid criminal prosecutions, both men entered into agreements with the government forfeiting their claims to the currency plate. Youn, a Korean native who was illegally present in the United States, agreed to voluntarily depart the country and returned to his native country July 31.

Amato entered into an agreement for pretrial diversion and has satisfactorily met the following conditions: 90-days of supervised release; payment of $35,000; and 40 hours of community service.

Photo courtesy of ICE.

Fern breaks fall

Park search and rescue workers lift a man to safety after he fell 115 feet. Photo courtesy of National Park Service.

Hawaii National Park, Hawai'i –-- Foliage and a park visitor's intuition may have saved a Micronesian man's life after he fell an estimated 115 feet down a cliff in a national park in Hawaii.

"Luckily, he landed in a dense thicket of native 'uluhe fern, which broke his fall," said John Broward, search and rescue coordinator for Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park.

According to National Park Service officials, Harry Osachy, 73, of Kurtistown, fell after climbing over a barrier behind Volcano House sometime Monday and spent the night stranded. On Tuesday afternoon, a woman heard his cries for help coming from vegetation along Halema'uma'u Trail, which is directly below the hotel. Although she first thought it was a prank, she notified park staff.

A helicopter lowered Broward into the area, and he found Osachy with shoulder and pelvis injuries and suffering from dehydration, according to park officials. He was taken to Hilo Medical Center.

It is the thirteenth search and rescue mission at Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park this year. Last year, park crews responded to a total of 26 incidents.

Shark week bonus

Leopard shark. Photo courtesy of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

In a federal plea that coincided with Shark Week, a Milpitas, Calif., man has pleaded guilty to illegal shark trafficking.

Dean Trinh, 43, pleaded to conspiracy, three counts of violating the Lacey Act and nine counts of wire fraud. The indictments came on the heels of a three-year investigation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Prosecutors said Trihn admitted to taking undersized California leopard sharks from the San Francisco Bay and selling them to customers in Canada and Florida through his business, AquatopUSA LLC, High Tech Auctions and the website Hightechauction.com. He also admitted that he conspiring to sell and buy nurse shark pups over the internet, knowing that they were taken in violation of Florida law, authorities said.

For more information, see the website for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California here http://1.usa.gov/13z7wl3

Operation Crash plea

Here's the latest on the Operation Crash investigation into rhino horn trafficking:

Antiques Dealer Pleads Guilty in New York City Federal Court to Wildlife Smuggling Conspiracy
8.7.13

Qiang Wang, a/k/a Jeffrey Wang, a New York antiques dealer, pleaded guilty today in federal court in New York City to conspiracy to smuggle Asian artifacts made from rhinoceros horns and ivory and violate wildlife trafficking laws, according to thr Department of Justice.

Wang was arrested in February 2013 as part of "Operation Crash," a nation-wide crackdown in the illegal trafficking in rhinoceros horns, for his role in smuggling libation cups carved from rhinoceros horns from New York to Hong Kong and China. He pleaded guilty Aug. 7 before U.S. District Judge Katherine B. Forrest of the Southern District of New York.

"Wang and others conspired in an illegal trade that is threatening the future of these species," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Dreher. "This prosecution and continuing investigation should send a clear message to buyers and sellers that we will vigorously investigate and prosecute those who are involved in this devastating trade."

According to the information, plea agreement, and statements made during court proceedings:

In China, there is a tradition dating back centuries of intricately carving rhinoceros horn cups. Drinking from such a cup was believed by some to bring good health, and antique carvings are highly prized by collectors. Libation cups and other ornamental carvings are particularly sought after in China and in other Asian countries, as well as in the United States. The escalating value of such items has resulted in an increased demand for rhinoceros horn that has helped fuel a thriving black market, including fake antiques made from recently hunted rhinoceros.

Between approximately January 2011 and February 2013, Wang conspired with at least two others to smuggle objects containing rhinoceros horn and elephant ivory out of the United States knowing that it was illegal to export such items without required permits. Due to their dwindling populations, all rhinoceros and elephant species are protected under international trade agreements. Wang made and used false U.S. Customs Declarations for the packages containing rhinoceros horn and ivory objects in order to conceal the true contents of the packages, and did not declare them to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or U.S. Customs and Border Protection as required under U.S. law and international trade agreements.

Wang, 34, of Flushing, N.Y., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Under the terms of the plea agreement, items recovered from Wang's apartment, including an ivory statute found hidden behind his bed, will be forfeited. He is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Forrest on Oct. 25, 2013.

Saddam's guns

Saddam Hussein is getting his sword back, thanks to immigration and customs officials. Since Saddam isn't around any more, it goes to the people running Iraq these days. The U.S. government snagged it last year when it showed up at a New Hampshire auction house. Authorites ruled that it couldn't be considered a war trophy because it wasn't a " modern battlefield weapon."

The official ICE account is below:

ICE returns Saddam Hussein ceremonial sword to Republic of Iraq

WASHINGTON – A ceremonial sword, looted in 2003 from Saddam Hussein's personal office in Baghdad, was returned to the Republic of Iraq Monday by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

The sword, which had been smuggled into the United States by U.S. military personnel, was repatriated at a private ceremony held at Iraqi Ambassador Lukman Faily's residence in Washington.

The sword is a 43-inch embellished blade and sheath with gold inlaid Arabic writing along the edge of the blade that declares it to be a gift to Saddam Hussein. It was sold in October 2011 to the Amoskeag Auction Company in Manchester, N.H., and advertised in their Jan. 7, 2012, auction catalogue as having been removed from Hussein's personal office in the Iraqi military command complex in Baghdad by the U.S. Army 126th Military History Detachment after the regime fell in 2003. The catalog also said that the consignor was attached to the unit as a combat historian, that the sword was not claimed by the U.S. government and that the consignor was granted permission to keep the sword as a souvenir.

In January 2012, HSI special agents in Manchester learned that it was being auctioned and initiated an investigation.

Although the sword was sold at auction for $15,000 by AAC Jan. 7, 2012, the sale had not been consummated by an exchange of money and the object had not yet been shipped to the purchaser by AAC. On Jan. 9, 2012, HSI special agents seized the sword as a possible Iraqi cultural artifact.

HSI special agents coordinated with the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Defense regarding the validity of the sword's importation into the United States and the regulations surrounding the importation of war trophies from Iraq. It was determined that this ornate ceremonial sword cannot be considered a modern battlefield weapon and is therefore not eligible to be exported as a war trophy.

Additionally, the import of this historic sword was prohibited by DOD's Office of Foreign Assets Control pursuant to an executive order which prohibits trade or transfer of Iraqi cultural property.

On April 30, 2012, the sword was administratively forfeited. In 2008, 2010 and 2011, ICE repatriated to the government of Iraq a collection of cultural objects including Saddam Hussein-era paintings, AK-47 rifles, ancient tablets, clay statues, ancient gold earrings, coins, a Western Asiatic necklace and terra cotta cones, all illegally imported into the United States from Iraq.

Through HSI's cultural property and antiquities investigations, a team of HSI special agents recovered Iraqi treasures, and investigated the looting of the Iraq National Museum following the fall of the Hussein regime. The team volunteered to lead this mission, and scoured Baghdad in search of more than 17,000 items that chronicled the region's 7,000 years of civilization. HSI special agents electronically scanned the museum's inventory lists and manifests to determine which items were missing, and quickly determined that most of the museum's artifacts had been hidden. Eventually, they were able to recover many of the items that were looted by cultivating sources. Agents were also able to send information about looted artifacts to other countries to help recover them if they crossed their borders.

Bat smuggling

Here’s a curious smuggling case, but the question that hasn’t been answered is what was a Northern Mariana Islands senator trying to do when he hid eight dead fahini fruit bats in 40 pounds of lemons?

Sen. Juan Manglona Ayuyu recently pleading guilty to conspiring to violate federal wildlife trafficking laws by sneaking the endangered bat carcasses into a plane bound for Saipan and to allegedly trying to get a witness to throw off the grand jury investigation, according to court records.

The indictment below has some of the details. But there is no indication if the bats were hunting trophies or were intended to be part of a meal.

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, fanihi have been consumed by humans since they first inhabited the area, and eating the bat “represents a significant cultural tradition.” Hunting the flying rodent has been illegal on the islands since the 1970s.

More on the bats here.

Dead Bat Smuggling Indictment by Assorted Skullduggery

Turtle food

Eight people have been arrested in connection with a sea turtle food probe. It turns out they were allegedly selling the animals as food for people. Here's the Department of Justice account:

<blockquote>Federal authorities arrested eight people in the cities of Arroyo and Patillas, Puerto Rico, July 18 on charges for the illegal take, possession and sale of endangered sea turtles and their parts for human consumption as well as aiding and abetting violations of the Endangered Species and Lacey Act.

Roberto Guzman Herpin, 34, Madelyne Montes Santiago, 37, Edwin Alamo Silva, 50, Juan Soto Rodriguez, 45, Ricardo Dejesus Alamo, 33, Jose Javier Rodriguez Sanchez, 40, Iris Lebron Montanez, 53, and Miguel Rivera Delgado, 55, all residents of Patillas and Arroyo, were arrested and made their appearances in federal court.

The takedown was led by special agents of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, with assistance from the recently formed Puerto Rico Environmental Crimes Task Force, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Puerto Rico Police Department and the Puerto Rico Department of Natural Resources.

In 2011, the FWS initiated an undercover operation to investigate the illegal trade in sea turtles. During this investigation, it was determined that these illegal sales of sea turtle meat, confirmed through DNA analysis conducted by the FWS Forensic Lab, have resulted in the illegal take of 15 individual endangered hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricate) and 7 endangered green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas).

Hawksbill and green sea turtles are protected by Puerto Rican law, nationally under the Endangered Species Act as well as internationally under Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna.

The waters around Puerto Rico are designated as a critical habitat for the hawksbill and the green sea turtle. The most significant nesting for the hawksbill within the U.S. occurs in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Each year, about 500-1000 hawksbill nests are laid on Mona Island, Puerto Rico. The green sea turtle population has declined by 48-65 percent over the past century. Puerto Rico is also home to nesting sites for the endangered leatherback sea turtle, the largest species of turtle in the world. The leatherback sea turtle suffered a severe population crash due to human harvesting of its meat and eggs, and the destruction of its nesting habitat by beachfront development.

</blockquote>

Photo: Falls Park

On our trip to the Black Hills, we took a break at Falls Park in Sioux Falls. It was a great start for the long trek west across the grasslands of South Dakota.

That night, we attempted to camp at Kennebec, but the rain was coming down too hard to set up the tent, and the storm front seemed to hover over the area. After an hour of watching the rain and playing pinpong in the KOA clubhouse, we headed on down the road and found a motel in Murdo (home to an automobile museum that boasts Elvis's Harley and the Dukes' General Lee). At some point we missed the sign that told us we were entering the mountain time zone.

Backpack

While free stuff is always good, you usually end up getting what you pay for.

That's why I was delighted when my free Monster Energy backpack arrived in the mail last month. It wasn't completely free --- save up 100 pull tabs from Monster cans and send them in with a small amount (under $10) for shipping. As it was a free promotional item, I expected to wait forever to get something cheap with the Monster log screenprinted in flakey ink, but this arrived within a week and was a quality piece.

The day pack has two main comparments, a laptop/tablet pocket and several smaller internal and externals pouches, heavy-duty straps and a sternum buckle. The back has a mesh setup for ventilation; there is also a headphone cord hole. During the first few days I wore it (after letting it off gas), I got a lot of comments. Everyone noticed the clawed "M" logo and wanted to know where to get one. Note to self: Snag a stack of offer flyers from the store and bring them along.

I had noticed the backpack offer during last year's promotion just a week before the cutoff date. Even though the pack was only going for only 70 tabs at that point, there was no way I could collect enough tabs, so I started saving and was glad to see the company renewed the offer.

How could it be better? A caribiner or snap ring loop would be a nice addition, and it wouldn't hurt to a dd a port for a hydration bladder.

More info on the offer here. https://gear.monsterenergy.com/

Apikini climbing death

Glacier National Park Rangers recovered the body of a 21-year old male from Davie, Fla., Tuesday evening, July 9, on Apikuni Mountain in the northeast area of the park. The individual was climbing the mountain with three other climbers when he fell approximately 1,000 feet to his death.

At approximately 11:15 a.m. on Tuesday, park dispatch received a report from an individual calling from the Many Glacier Entrance Station that a member of their climbing party fell. The climbers could not see or reach the fallen climber, and indicated that he was not responding to any communication. The area in which the fall took place is very steep, with cliffs and rocky terrain.

Park rangers traveled to the vicinity of the incident by helicopter while other rangers conducted aerial reconnaissance to search for the climber. At approximately 6 p.m. the body of the climber was found. A helicopter and specialized short-haul rescue team from Parks Canada assisted park rangers to recover the body.

Witness statements indicate that four individuals departed from the Many Glacier area for Apikuni Mountain at approximately 7:45 a.m. Tuesday. All four members of the climbing party are employees of the park's concessioner Glacier Park, Inc. and work at the Many Glacier Hotel. Apikuni Mountain is located a few miles north of the hotel.

Short haul is an emergency rescue tool. It involves a rescuer being carried on a rope from a hovering helicopter to a victim below. The rescuer rigs a harness to the victim or places the victim in a litter basket and the helicopter lifts both to safety a short distance away.

Paraglider rescue

A paraglider got a short-haul ride from a rescue helicopter (dangeling underneath on a rope) following aforced landing Grand Teton National Park. Here's the NPS account:

A local paraglider made a forced landing in Death Canyon Wednesday afternoon, July 10, triggering a search and rescue operation in Grand Teton National Park. Dispatchers received a call for help at 4 p.m. for Rebecca Bredehoft, 29, of Jackson, Wyoming, after she took a hard landing about 4.5 miles up canyon from the Death Canyon trailhead. Bredehoft sustained serious injuries during that landing.

Bredehoft, an expert paraglider, and a companion launched from Teton Village intending to glide north over the Teton Range before returning to land at Teton Village. While she was over Death Canyon, Bredehoft lost her thermal lift causing a forced descent to the canyon floor. Hikers, who witnessed her descent, assisted Bredehoft in moving her paraglider and other gear down the canyon trail where she subsequently met park rangers responding to the scene.

Grand Teton National Park rangers and a Teton Interagency contract helicopter flew to a landing zone about a half mile above Bredehoft's location in Death Canyon. Once rangers arrived on scene they provided emergency medical care and prepared Bredehoft for a short-haul evacuation from the canyon to the valley floor. With a ranger attending, Bredehoft was short-hauled in a litter to a landing zone at the historic White Grass Ranch where she was met by a park ambulance and transported to St. John's Medical Center in Jackson.

Rangers remind park users that taking off or landing by a paraglider, hang glider, hot air balloon or other airborne means is not permitted in Grand Teton National Park. People who chose to engage in these activities are reminded that the responsibility lies with each individual to ensure that they can make an appropriate landing outside the park boundary.

Wild web busts

Sea turtle confiscated in Oklahoma as part of Operation Wild Web. Credit: USFWS.

Wildlife authorities seized sea turtle skin boots, whale teeth, elephant and walrus ivory and pelts from a Sumatran tiger, leopard and jaguar during undercover operations target online sales of protected species.

Dubbed Operation Wild Web, the project also seized live migratory birds mounts and others items and led to charges against scores of traffickers in 16 states and three Asian countries, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Operation Wild Web resulted in 154 "buy/busts" in the United States: 30 involving federal wildlife crimes and 124 for violations of state wildlife laws. It also exposed online trafficking of live birds and tiger and leopard pelts in Southeast Asia.

Over a 14-day period in August 2012, approximately 70 Service special agents and conservation officers from State wildlife agencies across the country teamed up to investigate illegal online commerce in wildlife. Agents from the National Park Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration helped staff some of the 14 "taskforce" groups operating in the United States. Wildlife officers in Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia simultaneously ran their own in-country Operation Wild Web taskforces targeting illegal wildlife internet sales.

Additional information is at www.fws.gov/operationwildwebrphotos.html.

Missing in Mesa Verde

Rangers and other rescue workers are searching Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado for a 52-year old Texas man that was reported missing Sunday, June 9, according to the National Park Service.

Mitchell Stehling told his wife and parents he was going to visit Spruce Tree House. When he did not return, they notified park dispatchers. A hasty search of Spruce Canyon, Spruce Tree House, Petroglyph Trail and other trails on Chapin Mesa was initiated following the report. Crews were out early Monday morning expanding the search area on foot, by horseback and by helicopter. Two dog teams from Dolores Canine Search and Rescue are also assisting in the search. Approximately 30 people searched multiple trails and canyons until late evening.

Crews resumed their search this morning. They are being joined by 20 members of the San Juan National Forest Hot Shots bringing the total number of personnel involved to 50.

Temperatures in the park are in the 90s. The terrain consists of steep canyons and mesa tops at an elevation between 6,500 and 8,000 feet. Mr. Stehling was last seen wearing a brown shirt and hat, khaki shorts and hiking boots. He was not carrying any water or other gear.

Feather sale sentence

A Montana resident was recently prosecuted for selling feathers using the MySpace social networking site, casting a new light on the little known fact that people still use MySpace, or did so as recently as 2009. Below is the Department of Justice account of the case:

<blockquote><strong>Seller of Golden Eagle and Hawk Feathers Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison for Violations of Migratory Bird Treaty Act and Lacey Act </strong>
June 6, 2013

Steven Patrick Garcia, Jr., 36, of San Jose, Calif., was sentenced June 6 in federal court in Billings, Mont., to two years in prison for selling and offering to sell migratory bird parts in violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Lacey Act, according to the Department of Justice. Garcia had pleaded guilty to the charge on Jan. 16, 2013.

Garcia admitted by his plea that on Dec. 2, 2008, he offered for sale and sold golden eagle and hawk feathers and that on Feb. 25, 2009, he sold golden eagle feathers knowing that those golden eagle feathers were unlawfully taken and possessed.

"Today's prosecution and sentence demonstrate that individuals that attempt to profit from the unlawful taking of golden eagles, bald eagles, hawks and all other migratory birds will be investigated, prosecuted and punished accordingly," said U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana Michael W. Cotter.

The Secretary of the Interior maintains a list of migratory birds which are protected from, among other things, being killed, sold, bartered, transported or possessed, except as otherwise permitted by federal regulation. Enrolled members of federally recognized American Indian tribes may obtain permits to possess eagle and other migratory bird feathers and parts for religious and ceremonial purposes, but federal law strictly prohibits the sale of migratory birds, feathers, or their parts by any person. The Lacey Act prohibits, among other things, the sale of wildlife knowing that the wildlife was taken or possessed in violation of any federal wildlife-related regulation or law.

According to court documents, Garcia communicated via MySpace with an individual in California and sold the individual hawk feathers for $200 and a golden eagle feather for $25 in December 2008. The hawk feathers were later forensically identified as twelve tail feathers of either ferruginous or red-tailed hawk. Garcia also communicated via MySpace with an undercover U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agent who, at one point in time, observed approximately seventy photographs of migratory bird feathers on Garcia's MySpace Page. The agent purchased 12 ferruginous hawk and 12 rough-legged hawk tail feathers from Garcia in February 2009 as well as one complete set of subadult golden eagle wings for $400. Approximately 146 items containing feathers representing 18 different species of migratory birds were obtained from Garcia's home in Lame Deer, Montana, in March 2009.

This case resulted from a nationwide investigation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Office of Law Enforcement into the illegal commercialization of eagles and other migratory birds protected by federal law. The case was prosecuted by the Department of Justice's Environment and Natural Resources Division, Environmental Crimes Section with assistance from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Montana.

</blockquote>

Creek side trek

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Heading down the creek. (C) J.S. Reinitz"]

[/caption] Sometimes in life, it's good to break out of the routine and dart off in a random direction if for nothing else than a change of scenery. Such was the case last weekened when I managed to pry my 10-year-old son and his friend from the xBox. They had been digging, building and exploring the virtual world of Minecraft, and they needed to get out and explore the real world, especially now that the winter blizzards and spring icestorms and the summer floods were starting to subside. They logged off with surprisingly little arguing, and we headed out to the local nature preserve, the one that's not too far away and still has interesting trails. Being early summer, the termperatures were still comfortable, and the usually vibrant mosquito population hadn't quite bounced back from the recent thunder monsoons. I figured we'd take the normal high ground trail (being as the lower loop was partially submerged), the path we've taken dozens of times over the past decade, maybe see some deer and be done with it. Making our way down the occasionally washed out woodchip path, we passed a few memorial benches and found ourself at the memorial bridge over the as-of-yet-unnamed ravine. That's where the kids took an interest in the small stream at the bottom. Can we follow this, they wondered. I glanced at the trail that headed up the next hill and then looked back down at the creek. It was shallow with lots of rocks and sandbars for reasonably dry footing, and I knew it ended up back at the main path not far ahead. Sure, why not. [caption id="" align="alignleft" width="370" caption="Creek guide, author, photographer. (C) J.S. Reinitz"]

[/caption] But first a quick rundown on some rules. Rule No. 1: It's OK to get your shoes muddy, but you want to keep dry, so don't soak them in attempt to remove the mud. We will take care of the mud when we get home. We still need to work on following that rule. Rule No. 2: You are wearing shorts, so stay out of the weeds, because there is poison ivy afoot, and so on. So off we went, crawling over fallen trees, hopping back and forth over the creek making our way down stream. The young explorers found worms gathered in sandy spots under the water and peeled bark from old logs to discover little bug-based ecosystems underneath. They observed fungus and mushrooms and dug up small chunks of quartz. Along the way, I spotted a piece of milky white glass jutting up from the soil, and I dislodged what turned out to be a small jar. Later, I searched for information on the words cast into the bottom and determined it was an old Musterole container. Musterole was a cold remedy in the mid 1900s, kind of like Vicks VapoRub. Internet auctions offer similar and better specimines for anywhere from $5 to $30, although none of the items I saw had actual bidders. [caption id="" align="alignright" width="450" caption="Musterole jar, lit with flashlight. (C) J.S. Reinitz"]

[/caption]

Dislodged rock kills climber

Rock Climber Dies in Yosemite National Park
Date: June 3, 2013

A 28-year-old climber died in a rock climbing accident on El Capitan in Yosemite National Park yesterday afternoon, Sunday, June 2.

Felix Joseph Kiernan, from London, England, was climbing on the East Buttress of El Capitan, a popular climbing route in Yosemite Valley, when he was struck by a rock.

Kiernan and his climbing partner were approximately 600 feet up the climbing route when a loose block was dislodged. The block, estimated to be one foot by two feet, fell approximately 150 feet before striking Kiernan and causing fatal injuries. The incident occurred at approximately 2 p.m.

A second party climbing just below Kiernan immediately called the Yosemite Emergency Communication Center via cell phone and reported the incident.Yosemite Park Rangers and Yosemite Search and Rescue teams were immediately sent to El Capitan where they began climbing the route to reach the climbing party.

Park Rangers reached Kiernan around 4:00 p.m. and pronounced him deceased. A California Highway Patrol helicopter, H-40, and the park's helicopter, Helicopter 551, assisted in the incident by inserting Park Rangers and rescue equipment onto the wall and hoisting the victim to Yosemite Valley. Park Rangers rappelled the route with Kiernan's partner and the second climbing party.

Search continues for man swept over falls

Visitor Swept Over Nevada Fall in Yosemite National Park
Date: June 2, 2013

At about 2:45 p.m. on Saturday, June 1, a visitor was witnessed being swept over the precipice of Nevada Fall in Yosemite National Park. Aleh Kalman, 19 year old male, from Sacramento, Calif., came to the park with a church group and was hiking the Mist Trail when the accident occurred.

Kalman was seen swimming above Nevada Fall, approximately 150 feet from the precipice, when he was swept away by the current. Witnesses reported to park officials that he was swimming back from a rock in the middle of the river when the current swept him downstream to the edge of the waterfall.

Ground teams, along with a California Highway Patrol helicopter, were immediately dispatched to the location of the waterfall to begin searching for Kalman. Search efforts continued throughout the evening until fading light prevented further efforts.

Yesterday afternoon, the Merced River which feeds the 594 foot waterfall, was flowing at approximately 500 cubic feet per second, which represents a very swift and powerful spring flow of water. Currently, the river is flowing at approximately 650 CFS with water temperature in the low 50's. Water levels and temperatures are expected to remain relatively the same throughout the week.

The Mist Trail, from the footbridge above Emerald Pool to the top of Nevada Fall, is temporarily closed at this time in order for ground teams to continue searching the area below the waterfall. Yosemite National Park Rangers will continue search efforts throughout the day. These efforts consist primarily of combing each side of the Merced River looking for the victim. Three dog teams and approximately 20 ground Search and Rescue personnel are searching the area for any signs of Kalman.

Photo: Chewed tree

We found this on our walk near a pond last weekend. It looks like something quit part way through. (C) J.S. Reinitz

Hunt for stolen diamonds

French police request assistance in hunt for diamond necklace stolen at Cannes film festival
May 27, 2013

French police are making a global appeal for assistance via Interpol to locate a diamond necklace stolen from a display during a party at the Cannes international film festival on May 22.

The diamond and pink gold necklace, worth an estimated 1.92 million Euros, was stolen during a private party at the Hotel Eden Roc in Antibes, France, organized by Swiss jeweler Di Grisogono. It was one of 20 items on display under the surveillance of security guards at the time of the theft.

At the request of the French authorities, Interpol issued a Purple Notice to police in its 190 member countries seeking information on the missing necklace. Purple Notices are used to seek or provide information on modi operandi, objects, devices and concealment methods used by criminals.

Tusk sale brings indictment

<strong>African Trophy Hunter Indicted for Violating Endangered Species Act</strong>
May 22, 2013

A federal grand jury in Florida has indicted Charles Kokesh on charges he violated the Endangered Species Act and the Lacey Act by selling two African elephant tusks and for making false accounts of wildlife related to that sale, according to the Justice Department.

Federal law prohibits the commercial use and sale of sport-hunted African elephant trophies, even if the trophies are legally hunted and imported.

The three count indictment alleges that Kokesh legally imported a sport-hunted African elephant trophy mount from Namibia, but then illegally sold the two tusks, from New Mexico to a buyer in Florida. The sale price was approximately $8,100, to be paid in a combination of currency and guns. After the sale, Kokesh allegedly falsely described told the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service the sale involved a shipment to an appraiser in anticipation of a donation to a non-profit group.

African elephants are protected under the Endangered Species Act and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. Both the United States and Namibia are signatories to CITES. African elephant populations in Namibia are listed in Appendix II of CITES, which includes species that are not necessarily threatened with extinction now, but may become so unless trade in specimens of such species is strictly regulated. Since 2000, the Namibian African elephant listing has specified that the species cannot be used for commercial purposes.

Smuggled coins returned to Bulgaria

<strong>Federal authorities return ancient coins to Bulgaria</strong>
May 21, 2013

NEW YORK – Hundreds of ancient coins that were smuggled into the United States are back in the hands of their rightful owner, the people of Bulgaria. The coins were stolen and smuggled from Bulgaria into the United States for sale to the highest bidder.

At a May 21 ceremony at the Bulgarian Consulate in New York, U.S. Immigration Customsand Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Customs and Border Protection returned 546 ancient coins to Bulgarian Ambassador Elena Poptodorova.

"It is a special privilege to receive today, on behalf of the Bulgarian people, a part of our rich antique patrimony that was unlawfully taken away from us," said Poptodorova.

In September 2011, HSI special agents learned of a shipment of ancient coins from Bulgaria destined for the United States. HSI New York, in close coordination with CBP'sCustomsAir Cargo Examination Facility, examined and seized the coins. An investigation of the coins revealed the shipment contained a false country of origin, a false description of the commodity and were undervalued.

The consignment of ancient coins is one of the channels and methods of illegal trafficking in movable cultural valuables originating from the territory of contemporary Bulgaria. The return of the coins to Bulgaria is a result of the active cooperation between the General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime within the Bulgarian Ministry of Interior, the Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Bulgaria and the expertise of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

HSI is continuing to look for connections to organized crime related to stolen illicit propertyout of Bulgaria.

Photo: Eldora Cave

Entrance to Eldora Cave near Eldora, Iowa. (C) J.S. Reinitz

Cash, gold, BMW seized on rhino horn investigation

<strong>Smuggling Ring Sentenced in Los Angeles for Criminal Trafficking of Endangered</strong>

Vinh Chuong "Jimmy" Kha, 50, and Felix Kha 26, were sentenced May 15 in federal district court in Los Angeles to serve 42 and 46 months, respectively, in prison for crimes related to illegal international trafficking of rhinoceros horn.

In addition to the prison sentences, the two defendants were ordered to pay a total of $20,000 in criminal fines and pay a $185,000 tax fraud penalty and assessment. In addition, Jimmy Kha's Win Lee Corporation was ordered to pay a $100,000 fine. Jimmy and Felix Kha, along with Win Lee Corporation, were also ordered to pay a total of $800,000 in restitution to the Multinational Species Conservation Fund, a statutorily created fund that is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to support international efforts to protect and conserve rhinos and other critically endangered species around the world. The defendants previously abandoned their portion of interest in $2 million worth of rhino parts and vehicles seized in the investigation.

The Khas are among several individuals charged so far with federal crimes as a result of "Operation Crash," an ongoing FWS-led investigation of the black market rhino horn trade named for the term used to describe a herd of rhinoceros.

"The Khas' smuggling operation fueled international demand and played a significant role in driving the price of rhino horn to nearly $25,000 per pound," said U.S. Attorney Birotte. "It was that rising value of rhino horn that encouraged ruthless poachers to scour the South African wilderness in search of profits. The Khas played a role in pushing species like the African black rhino to the brink of extinction, which is why we aggressively prosecuted this case and sought lengthy prison terms."

On Sept. 14, 2012, the Khas pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy, smuggling, wildlife trafficking in violation of the Lacey Act, money laundering and tax fraud, and Win Lee Corporation pleaded guilty to smuggling and wildlife trafficking in violation of the Lacey Act. In February 2012, at the time of the arrest of Jimmy and Felix Kha, FWS agents seized rhinoceros mounts and horns, $1 million in cash, approximately $1 million in gold ingots, jewelry, watches and precious stones, a 2009 BMW 759 Li Sedan and a 2008 Toyota Forerunner from the defendants and their co-conspirators. Under the plea agreement, the defendants agreed to the forfeiture of these items, which include nine rhino horns and six rhino feet. Ultimately, prior to sentencing, the defendants formally abandoned all the wildlife and the instrumentalities of the crimes seized from them (such as the vehicles) to the United States. The Khas' portion of the seized cash and gold, proceeds of their illegal activities, will be used to pay the $800,000 in restitution ordered at sentencing.

Over the course of at least two years from January 2010, through February 2012, Jimmy and Felix Kha conspired with individuals throughout the United States to purchase white and black rhinoceros horn despite knowing that these animals were protected by federal law as endangered and threatened species. Although Jimmy Kha paid, on average, between $5,000 to $7,000 per pound of rhinoceros horn, the horn acquired by the defendants had a fair market value of at least $1 million to $2.5 million. Under the plea agreement, the defendants admitted that they purchased the horns in order to export them overseas to be sold and made into libation cups or used for traditional medicine; made illegal payments to Vietnamese customs officials to ensure clearance of horn shipments to that country; and knowingly evaded income taxes owed in 2009 and 2010.

April snow showers bring ...

April ice storms bring May snow showers.

Yes, winter has entered its seventh month here in the Midwest. Yesterday morning, I dug out the family winter coats for the second time this spring. And by quitting time, there was a fresh coating of spring flakes on my car (see attached photo). I also made a few spring balls and gave them a toss. Good packing spring balls, they were.

Climber injured in fall at Acadia

A 21-year-old student from Old Town, Maine, was lead climbing on a 5.7 pitch on the South Wall of the Precipice on Champlain Mountain in Acadia National Park when he fell 25 feet April 28.

The climber was above the two pieces of protection he'd placed on the granite wall when the second piece, a #4 mechanical cam, pulled out of the rock face. The climber's partner, who was belaying from below, was unable to pull in the excess rope fast enough to prevent him from falling the 25 feet to the base of the rock face, according to the National Park Service.

The climber was not wearing a helmet and sustained serious injuries, including multiple skull fractures and C1 fracture, park service officials said. Rangers were assisted by paramedics from Bar Harbor Fire Department, Mount Desert Island Search and Rescue and local climbers who were on scene. The injured climber was carried by litter for about 30 minutes to a waiting ambulance and then taken to Mount Desert Island Hospital and later taken by LifeFlight ground to Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, Maine.

Update on avalanche deaths

GEORGETOWN, Colo.  --- Five people over the weekend brought to 11 the number of avalanche fatalities in Colorado this season, according to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.

A total of six people were buried in the Saturday (April 20) avalanche near Loveland Pass, and only one suvived.

According to the center's preliminary report:

<blockquote>A backcountry touring party of six, on splitboards and skis, were caught in an avalanche in the Sheep Creek area near Loveland Pass. Five of the riders were killed. The group may have triggered the avalanche from below the start zone, low in the avalanche path. The avalanche released into old snow layers and the ground. Approximate dimensions of the crown face of the avalanche are 4 feet deep and 500 feet wide.</blockquote>

The incident was the second fatal avalanche in the state in less than a week. On April 18, two snowboarders using snowmobiles to reach the backcountry from Vail Pass were hit, according to the center. One was pushed into a grouping of trees and died, and the other rode most of the way out and survived. The avalanche was 10 feet deep and almost 300 feet wide, according to the center's preliminary report.

Scraping by winter

As soon as I heard the noise, I knew what it was.

The sound of something slipping from my Pontiac as I reached 55 mph could have been any number of things, most likely a chunk of frozen something or another dislodging from the snow-covered roof.

But I knew better.

I knew it was my ice scraper/snow broom. I had placed it on the roof after dusting off the freshly fallen powder from my windshield and starting the engine. It stayed up there as I started shoveling the driveway in the pre-dawn darkness, then carving out a path down the sidewalk. I hacked through the wall of road snow the city plow had shoved across the driveway entrance when it passed. Next, I dug out my wife's minivan and plowed a small trail back to the house. After that, I hopped in the car and fought through the sort-of-cleared residential streets until I got to the highway and could start making time.

Then whoosh and clatter. And that was the end of the ice scraper.

Later in the day, after work, I doubled back, but there was no sign of it in the chest-high snow banks lining the highway.

The loss was both practical and sentimental. My wife bought the scraper during our first winter back in the frozen Midwest after several years in the warm South. It took some looking, and ultimately shopping online, but she found exactly what I needed. The eggshell white high-impact plastic stock was a about two feet long with a hard bristle brush. It was the perfect gaffi stick to wield in the brutal six-month battle that is winter. The long handle gave needed leverage, but the ultimate source of its power was the metal blade at the business end. Where plastic scrapers do little more than massage the ice, the metal blasts through in a single pass.

Sure, I've used plastic blades in the past, but they're futile tools when it comes to freeing cars that are encased in ice.

Since moving back to the Midwest, I've occasionally glanced at snow tool assortments in stores and noticed the lack of metal. So, the day after my scraper slid from the roof into frozen oblivion, I found myself at a national chain auto parts store looking for a replacement, hoping to find something beyond the big box discount store offerings. The place specialized in car parts and accessories, so it seemed the logical choice.

The stand near the door had nothing but plastic --- small fit-in-your-pocket scrapers with plastic blades, long snow brooms with plastic blades. It had a nice assortment of colors.

"Do you have anything with aluminum tips?" I asked.

The clerk said he didn't and went on to guess the government had banned them because he hadn't seen any in a long time. It had something to do with people scratching up their windshields, he continued.

I explained that I had been using metal for more than 10 years and never had a scratch. He said the government was overstepping its bounds.

I left with a plastic scraper, price about $8, as a stop-gap until I could find something better. If nothing else, I could drive by the scene in spring when the highway snow banks melt.

That night, I searched the internet for any sign of the government meddling in metal scrapers and found none. Big Brother wasn't behind it, just lazy retailers. What I did learn was the metal scraper blades are brass, not aluminum, according to several online hardware stores selling them. Asking price was $8 with another $10 for shipping.

Favorite Places: Huntington Beach, S.C.

Covered walkway leading to Atalaya's watertower at Huntington Beach, SC. (photo (c) J.S. Reinitz)

I've never really been one for big beaches. Sure, the sun and fresh air are nice. The salty spray from the ocean is refreshing, and it's always cool to find what washes up on shore. But, for the most part, my beach experience has involved being crammed in an overpopulated, sweltering sandbox sandwiched between a full parking lot and brackish ocean water.

So Huntington Beach, located near Murrells Inlet, S.C., between Myrtle Beach and Charleston, is on my list of favorite places because it's a low-key beach that offers a chance to explore and enjoy nature.

Here's what makes the place cool:

--- A castle. Well, not a real castle, but a replica of a Spanish fort commissioned by a rich guy. The place is called Atalaya (which means watchtower), and it was built in the 1930s as a winter home for Archer Huntington and his sculptor wife, Anna (her stuff is on display on the other side of the highway). Guided tours and audio tours available, or you can just meander through at your own pace.

--- Sandpiper Trail. It's not a long hike but it's a great one-mile walk (two miles to reach the end and back) through the scrub and dunes.

--- A salt marsh and a freshwater lagoon. Populated with ibises (ibisi?), fiddler crabs and alligators. Kayaking is available. Did I mention gators?

--- Camping, near the ocean.

--- Spanish moss, hanging from trees.

--- And yes, there is a beach.

Did I mention gators? Alligator sneaking up on the boardwalk. (c) Roger Reinitz