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Illegally-Sourced Wood Importer Sentenced
A Nevada-based corporation, Global Plywood and Lumber Trading LLC, has been sentenced for importing illegally-sourced wood from the Peruvian Amazon into the United States.
The company, which operated out of Poway, California, pleaded guilty to violating the Lacey Act by failing to exercise due care when purchasing 1,135 cubic meters of hardwood blanks from Peruvian suppliers in August 2015.
The wood, consisting of species of Virola from the Loreto region of the Peruvian Amazon, arrived at the Port of Houston on September 27, 2015, where it was seized by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers.
The investigation revealed that approximately 92% of the wood imported by Global Plywood had been unlawfully harvested or transported. The corporation acknowledged that it failed to exercise due care, despite being aware of public reports detailing instances of illegal logging and fraud within the Peruvian timber industry.
Global Plywood was sentenced to pay $200,000 in restitution to the Ministry of Environment of Peru and a $5,000 fine. The corporation dissolved in 2017, after forfeiting and disposing of the illegal timber pursuant to a civil action.
The investigation was conducted by the Trade Enforcement Group of Homeland Security Investigations in Houston and CBP, with assistance from Peruvian authorities. Trial Attorneys Patrick Duggan and Ryan Connors of the Environmental Crimes Section of the Environment and Natural Resources Division prosecuted the case.
Global Plywood’s actions highlight the importance of exercising due care when importing plants, wildlife, or fish, as mandated by the Lacey Act.
Key Facts
- State: District of Columbia
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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