LOS ANGELES – Three South Korean nationals are facing federal charges after they were accused of poaching and attempting to export Dudleya succulent plants worth more than $600,000 from Northern California’s remote state parks.
The trio – Byungsu Kim, 44, who operates a nursery in Vista; Youngin Back, 45, also a fugitive; and Bong Jun Kim, 44, currently in federal custody – are charged with conspiracy to export plants taken in violation of U.S. law and attempting to export plants taken in violation of state law.
According to the indictment, the defendants traveled from South Korea to Los Angeles in October 2018, their intention to harvest wild Dudleya plants from Northern California’s coastal habitats. These plants are highly valued in Asia for their unique features, making them prime targets for smugglers. The plants were destined to be sold on the black market.
Upon arrival, Byungsu Kim presented false records indicating that his nursery had shipped 5,731 Dudleya plants to South Korea from San Diego County just weeks before. Since 2009, he had traveled to the U.S. over 50 times and faced seizure of 80 plants by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in 2013.
The defendants were observed at several state parks, including DeMartin State Beach and Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park, where they harvested Dudleya plants. They transported them to Byungsu Kim’s nursery in Vista, where he falsified export documents for shipment to South Korea via a commercial exporter in Compton. The trio was arrested last year with 3,715 Dudleya plants seized, valued at approximately $602,950.
Byungsu Kim and Youngin Back have since fled the United States, leaving Bong Jun Kim in federal custody. If convicted on all counts, they face up to 10 years in federal prison. The investigation was conducted by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
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Key Facts
- State: California
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Public Corruption|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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