Discus smugglers

[wildthing]

This is from Brazil...sorry its in Portuguese ...but basicly it tells about 2 Germans recently caught smuggling fish, including Discus ( Acara Royal Blue) , from protected areas.....net result for them....100, 000 Rheals fine each...that's about $30, 000 each.......Brazil will be quadrupling their fines for Biopiracy soon..& IMO not a moment too soon either!

Ibama/AM autua alemães no aeroporto com peixes ornamentais
Data: 18-fev-03


Mais um flagrante de biopirataria profissional caracterizada foi dado
ontem, segunda-feira, 17, no Aeroporto Internacional Eduardo Gomes, de
Manaus, quando dois alemães, Tino Hammel e Dirk Hezmut Reinel, foram
detidos pelo Polícia Federal e autuados pelo Ibama/AM ao tentar embarcar
para a Alemanha várias espécies de peixes ornamentais e amostras de
minerais.

“O que impressiona nesses biopiratas é a sofisticação dos equipamentos e
disfarces utilizados “, observa José Leland, gerente-executivo do
Ibama/AM. Os potes e caixas onde estavam as matrizes de peixes ornamentais
junto com as redes de coleta e um aparelho de GPS (guia de localização
global) estavam envoltos em uma capa de alumínio para que o aparelho de
raio x não detectasse o material transportado.

Os alemães foram autuados pelo Ibama em 100 mil reais por exportar
ilegalmente 280 peixes ornamentais e estavam no Brasil há pouco mais de um
mês, sendo que Tino já havia estado no país mais duas vezes. “O aparelho
de GPS é um sinal claro de que eles marcaram os locais para depois
voltarem a realizar novas coletas de espécies tão exóticas e de bom valor
no mercado internacional”, explica Ênio Cardoso, chefe da divisão de
controle e fiscalização do Ibama/AM. Além do material biológico, foram
apreendidas também amostras de um tipo de areia de rio grossa, uma pedra
parecida com tantalita e uma outra pedra preciosa, já lapidada com
aparência de ser uma esmeralda.

As espécies apreendidas de ciclídeos, que são os acarás-disco (royal blue)
e epistograma, bodós (ornamentais), coridoras, além de novas espécies que
ainda estão sendo identificadas, tinham como destino Bangcokc, um grande
centro produtor mundial. “Identificamos pelo menos duas espécies raras
conhecidas (acará royal blue e coridoras) sem contar as ainda por
identificar no laudo técnico”, diz Leland.

Com esta apreensão, o número de casos de biopirataria sobe para vinte e
dois só nos últimos dois anos no Amazonas. “O que vamos fazer agora é
entrar com uma representação na Justiça Federal, pedindo que seja
estendida a jurisprudência do caso dos suíços das borboletas, no ano
passado, quando o juiz Dr. Jimmis Braga, tomou uma decisão inédita
obrigando os infratores a pagarem a multa dobrada, pelos danos ambientais
causados, e condicionando a libertação deles à quitação da dívida”,
conclui Leland.

O gerente ressalta ainda que esta apreensão demostra a necessidade de
vigilância permanente nos portos e aeroportos, já que é impossível impedir
a saída de material genético pelas longas fronteiras amazônicas. “Pelo
menos os aeroportos já identificados com grande potencial da prática
desses ilícitos precisam ser rigorosamente vigiados”, conclui.


(Assessoria de Imprensa do IBAMA)

[brewmaster15]

Great!! Thanks David!

....

Being a multiligual... I translated it......
-al

Ibama/AM litigates German in the airport with ornamental fish
21/2/2003
Plus an instant of it would biopirataria professional characterized was given in the monday, 17/2, in the International Airport Eduardo Gomes, of Manaus, when two Germans, I clink Hammel and Dirk Hezmut Reinel, had been withheld by the Federal Policy and litigated by the Ibama/AM when trying to embark for Germany some species of ornamental fish and mineral samples.

?O that it makes an impression in these biopiratas is the used sophistication of the equipment and disguises, it observes Jose Leland, controlling-executive of the Ibama/AM. The pots and boxes where they were the matrices of ornamental fish together with the collection nets and a GPS device (guide of global localization) were envoltos in an aluminum layer so that the device of ray x did not detect the carried material.

The Germans had been litigated by the Ibama in 100 a thousand Reals for exporting 280 ornamental fish illegally and were in Brazil have little more than one month, being that I clink already had been in the country more two times. GPS device is a signal of that they had clearly marked the places stops later coming back to carry through new collections of so exotic species and good value in the international market, it explains Ênio Cardoso, head of the control division and fiscalization of the Ibama/AM. Beyond the biological material, samples of a type of thick sand of river had also been apprehended, a rock similar to tantalita and one another precious rock, already stoned with appearance of being an emerald.

The apprehended species of ciclídeos, that are the acarás-record (royal blue) and epistograma, bodós (ornamental), coridoras, beyond new species that still are being identified, had as destination Bangcokc, a great world-wide producing center. we?Identificamos at least two known rare species (it will acará royal blue and coridoras) without still counting for identifying in the finding technician, Leland says.

With this apprehension, the number of cases of would biopirataria only goes up for twenty and two in last the two years in Amazon. that we go to make now is to enter with a representation in Federal Justice, asking for that the jurisprudence of the case of the Swiss of the butterflies is extended, in the passed year, when judge Dr. Jimmis Braga, took a decision unknown compelling the infractors to pay the folded fine, for the caused ambient damages, and conditioning the release of them the repayment of the debt, it concludes Leland.

The manager still standes out that this apprehension demonstrates the necessity of permanent monitoring in the ports and airports, since it is impossible to hinder the exit of genetic material for the long Amazonian borders. less the identified airports already with great potential of the practical one of these illicit ones need rigorously to be watched, it concludes.

Source: Ibama



-Got to Love Google's translation function!!!! ;D ;D ;D

[henryD]

I was just going to be very impressed.....well I guess i am still very impressed..


With Google.

[April]

LOL Brew. you had me very impressed for a minute there....

[brewmaster15]

man oh man... talk about no respect! : ;D ;D ;D

I show you guys a neat application for translating foreign languages with ease and your not impressed> C'mon now... I may not have the knowledge to translate the article.... but I have the knowledge on how to get the job done with minimal effort....


...pat myself on the back.. but I'm impressed! ;D ;D

-al

[wildthing]

I think I understood it better when it was in Portuguese.( tho I don;t speak that language)
LOL


What arrogance & greed from those 2 germans tho, don;t you think......to be pirating bio-resources from protected areas.........this is a typical problem for 'third world' countries....individuals from 'first world' countries who think they know better than the locals & above the law & want to keep any $$s for themselves & screw the locals.

arggg it makes me mad!!!!!!!!!

[brewmaster15]

David,
The theft of natural resources or Bio-pirating is a very lucrative business. Sadly though its easy and widespread in the poorly patrolled and expansive areas of these third world countries , its also very prevalent elsewhere. Usually its not the locals doing it...but its someone affluent calling the shots, who may just have the connections and know how to get away with it.

This is compounded by the lack of knowledge by most protection agencies as to whats even restricted trade.

The rarer the resources become...the more attractive the risks become.

-al

[vinson]

;D

I am very impressed indeed with the resourcefulness.

[brewmaster15]

Thanks Vinson!!!!

-al

[Sketchy]

...LOL @ Brewmaster! Boy those language classes are really paying off! I have to tell ya though, that Google translator thing has some bugs in it...