A Canadian antiques dealer has been charged with smuggling rhinoceros horns and rare wildlife items worth over $500,000, according to a federal indictment unsealed today in Manhattan.
XIAO JU GUAN, a/k/a ‘Tony Guan,’ a Canadian antiques dealer, was charged with conspiring to violate the Lacey Act and smuggle wildlife, including rhinoceros horn, elephant ivory and coral.
The indictment alleges that Guan, the president and owner of an antiques business in British Columbia, Canada, smuggled rhinoceros horns and sculptures made from elephant ivory and coral from various U.S. auction houses to Canada.
According to the indictment, Guan and his co-conspirators shipped the items to an address close to the Canadian border and then drove the items across the border, or else shipped packages containing the wildlife items directly to Canada with false paperwork, and without the required declarations or permits.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said, ‘There is an ever-expanding black market for objects made from endangered species that fuels the devastating and senseless slaughter of noble animals.’
Assistant Attorney General Sam Hirsch said, ‘Illegal wildlife trafficking is a multi-billion dollar business that must be stopped.’
USFWS Director Dan Ashe said, ‘The United States plays a key role in the illegal wildlife trade – often as the source of, or transit country for, poached and smuggled wildlife products headed elsewhere in the world.’
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Category: Violent Crime|White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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