federal law enforcement agencies in detecting illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and stopping the trafficking of sea cucumbers into the U.S. “ This case demonstrates the coordination between U.S. from Mexico have decreased from 4 million kg in 2013 to 3 million kg in 2016. According to the NOAA Office of Science and Technology, Commercial Fisheries Statistics Division website, total sea cucumber imports from 2013 through 2016 into the San Diego ports of entry have decreased from 1,096,258 kg in 2013 to 70,708 kg in 2016. Since the beginning of this investigation, with the increased cooperation with Mexican officials, the importation of sea cucumbers from Mexico to the United States through the ports of entry in San Diego have decreased approximately 93% in the past three years. The indictment alleges that the defendants imported sea cucumbers into the United States they knew had been harvested, transported and sold in violation of these Mexican laws. It is also violation of Mexican law to harvest, possess, transport, or sell a species out of season, or of less than the minimum established size and weight, or to harvest a species in excess of permit limits or without a proper license or permit. In addition, in Mexico a fisheries waybill is needed for the interstate transportation of fisheries products. The original sales invoice for fisheries products must bear the number associated with the notice of arrival, harvest, production or collection, as well as a description of the product, and all subsequent invoices must bear the number of the invoice from which it derived, so that all fisheries products sold in Mexico can be traced to their lawful origins. Mexican law requires that the lawful origin of fisheries products be demonstrated by means of an arrival, harvest, production, or collection notice or an import permit. In furtherance of the scheme, it is alleged that in June of 2011, a co-conspirator in Mexico sent an email to defendant David Mayorquin, stating in substance “We want what is owed in freight to be your contribution for the bribe, 32K.” The indictment alleges that as part of the scheme payments were made to bank accounts held under false names to conceal the illegal sales and hide the proceeds, and payments were also made to Mexican officials to insure that no action was taken against the illegally harvested sea cucumbers. The indictment states that after the sea cucumbers had been imported into the United States, defendant David Mayorquin sold the sea cucumbers on behalf of Blessings for approximately $17.5 million to customers in China and elsewhere. Customs falsely represented defendant Ramon Mayorquin to be the supplier of the sea cucumbers to Blessings, from a non-existent address in Mexico, for a price less than one tenth of the true price paid by Blessings for the sea cucumbers. Customs officials, knowing that the sea cucumbers had been illegally harvested, sold and transported, and lacked the proper paperwork required under Mexican law.Īccording to the indictment, the fraudulent sales invoices submitted to U.S. It was a further alleged that defendant Ramon Mayorquin received the shipments of sea cucumbers from the Yucatan to Tijuana, Mexico, and created false invoices to be submitted to U.S. of Tucson, its owner David Mayorquin, and Ramon Torres Mayorquin of San Diego were charged in a 26-count indictment with conspiracy, illegal trafficking in wildlife, importation contrary to law, false labeling and criminal forfeiture.Īccording to the indictment, defendant David Mayorquin, on behalf of Blessings, contacted suppliers of sea cucumbers in Mexico and agreed to purchase approximately $13 million worth of sea cucumbers, knowing that it had been illegally harvested, that is, in excess of permit limits, or without a proper license or permit, or out of season. SAN DIEGO – A Tucson firm and two executives were arraigned in federal court today on charges related to the illegal trafficking of $17 million worth of sea cucumbers from 2010-2012.īlessings, Inc.
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