NORFOLK, Va. – A New York City man pleaded guilty today to illegally harvesting and trafficking more than $150,000 worth of juvenile American eels, aka ‘elvers’ or ‘glass eels,’ in violation of the Lacey Act.
‘Illegal harvesting and trafficking of wildlife represents a dire threat to our critical ecosystems,’ said Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. ‘This investigation into illegal elver trafficking and resulting guilty plea reaffirms our commitment to protecting Virginia’s natural resources for future generations.’
Tommy Water Zhou, 42, admitted to illegally selling or purchasing elvers harvested illegally in Virginia.
Zhou established a seafood distribution company known as Wilson Group Sea Trading LLC in 2010, with its principal place of business in Brooklyn, New York. The company’s operations included importing seafood for domestic consumption and exporting seafood to international markets.
The defendant obtained a Maine elver dealer license in 2013, authorizing him to purchase and resell elvers harvested in Maine. He used the license to cover his illegal activity, purchasing and exporting elvers that were actually harvested from Virginia waterways in violation of Virginia law.
This plea was the result of ‘Operation Broken Glass,’ a multi-jurisdiction U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service investigation into the illegal trafficking of American eels. To date, the investigation has resulted in guilty pleas for 11 individuals whose combined conduct resulted in the illegal trafficking of more than $2.75 million worth of elvers.
Defendant: Tommy Water Zhou
Criminal Charges: Illegally harvesting and trafficking American eels in violation of the Lacey Act
City and State: Norfolk, Virginia
Date: Today (no specific date mentioned)
Sentence: Pleaded guilty
Dollar Amount: $150,000 worth of elvers, $2.75 million combined
Related Federal Cases
Key Facts
- State: Virginia
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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