Qiang Wang, Wildlife Smuggling, New York 2020

Grimy Times has learned that Qiang Wang, a New York antiques dealer, has been sentenced to 37 months in prison for his role in smuggling Asian artifacts made from rhinoceros horns and ivory.

Wang, whose alias is Jeffrey Wang, was sentenced in federal court in Manhattan on February 2013 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.

According to the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Preet Bharara, 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.

The investigation, led by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, revealed that Wang had been 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, which were forfeited as part of the sentence.

Wang pleaded guilty 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. He falsely labeled the packages in order to conceal the true contents and did not declare them as required.

“Smuggling wildlife artifacts made from rhino horn and elephant ivory undermines the international conservation protections put in place to save these species from extinction,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Robert G. Dreher. “This is an active and ongoing investigation that is designed to send a clear message to buyers and sellers that we will vigorously investigate and prosecute those who are involved in this devastating trade.”

Wang’s sentence is a result of the work of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, and the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the Department of Justice.

The case is a reminder of the importance of upholding the rules designed to protect wildlife and the need for continued vigilance in the face of the illegal wildlife trade.

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