Joel Rakower, Piranha Import Violations, New York 2011

Joel Rakower, the sole owner of Transship Discounts Ltd., pleaded guilty to violating the Lacey Act by mislabeling imported piranhas in a New York federal court, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Robert G. Dreher for the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the Department of Justice and Queens County District Attorney Richard A. Brown.

In March of 2011, shortly after New York City prohibited possession of piranhas, Rakower instructed the foreign supplier to falsely label the piranhas on packing lists as silver tetras, a common and unaggressive aquarium fish. Over the course of 2011 and 2012, Transship submitted packing lists to the Fish and Wildlife Service containing false identifications of 39,548 piranhas, worth approximately $37,376, which Transship then sold to fish retailers in several states.

“Rakower flouted federal laws meant to protect people and the environment from the illegal trade in wildlife species,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Dreher. “Mislabeling imported wildlife presents dangers to the public and the environment and we will continue to prosecute these cases.”

Under the plea agreements, Rakower agreed to pay a $3,000 fine. Transship agreed to serve a two-year period of probation, pay a $35,000 fine and pay $35,000 in restitution to the State of New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation Division of Law Enforcement. Both parties will be sentenced on April 24, 2014.

Piranhas are freshwater fish originating from South American rivers such as the Amazon, Orinoco, Guyana and the Sao Francisco river systems. Piranhas are extremely aggressive and territorial, feeding on insects, fish, and larger prey such as amphibians, reptiles and mammals. As a result of piranhas’ aggressiveness, 25 states have either banned or regulated piranhas, making them illegal to own or sell.

The case was investigated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service in conjunction with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Division of Law Enforcement, and is being prosecuted by Cassa. Joel Rakower, a Tropical fish importer, was charged with violating the Lacey Act by mislabeling imported piranhas in New York federal court.

Piranhas, an injurious species, could pose a serious risk if they escaped into native water systems, potentially damaging ecosystems through aggressive predation or injuring people or pets. Tropical fish enthusiasts can contribute to this possibility by releasing piranhas into the wild when they grow too large for a tank.

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