14 DAY TRIAL // When it comes to smuggling various animal body parts, most people think about elephant tusks and rhino horns. Truth be told, said species are now the poster children for anti-poaching campaigns, so it is only logical that this should be so.
However, recent news on this topic informs us that authorities do not really approve of narwhal tusks smuggling either, hence the recent arrest of two Americans who were involved in such illegal activities.
These two US citizens spent nearly ten years illegally selling narwhal tusks in their country, and apparently they received help from two Canadians who now also find themselves in police custody.
The Province reports that the two Canadians, Gregory and Nina Logan, got the tusks from various regions in the Canadian Arctic, and later on shipped them across the border to Andrew Zarauskas in New Jersey and Jay Conrad in Lakeland.
Rumor has it that other American buyers were also involved, yet authorities have chosen to keep their silence on this matter, at least for the time being.
The same source informs us that, all things considered, the American pair involved in these illegal activities could end up spending as many as 20 years in prison. As well as this, they could be made to pay fines of up to $250,000 (€190,363).
In case anyone was wondering, narwhals are presently listed as a nearly threatened species, which is why marketing their tusks is a violation of both Canadian and American laws.
However, a narwhal tusk can sell for a whopping $10,000 (€7,614) provided that it is in good condition, which is why some might decide to throw caution out the window and bypass ongoing legislations.
Hopefully, the arrest of these four individuals will serve as an example for others who are considering the possibility of augmenting their incomes by getting involved in smuggling operations.