![]() Thousands of wild southern flying #squirrels were stolen from #Florida & shipped to a South Korean buyer: /OZAJZO89hz- MyFWC October 19, 2020 California agents were notified and intercepted the wildlife shipments.”ģ,600 smuggled flying squirrels = 7 arrests. The FWC investigators detected illegally taken freshwater turtles were shipped from Tampa International Airport to Los Angeles. “The California Department of Fish and Wildlife was also instrumental in intercepting wildlife shipments to California. “The Illinois Conservation Police, Georgia Department of Natural Resources and Homeland Security Investigations worked closely together to collect evidence of the international smuggling operation,” authorities said. He ultimately was charged with felony crimes related to at least seven hatchlings that allegedly came from an illegal source, the nature magazine reported.Ī state and federal task force was established to take down the operation. ![]() Investigators at one point found 800 alligator eggs at his farm, which was a physical and legal impossibility since his breeding business only had six alligator nests. National Geographic reported that in the late 2010s, Knox’s alligator business came under scrutiny after FWC inspectors found that more than 100 of his alligators had vanished in a three-year period. Over the course of the probe, investigators learned that the Florida suspects were also dealing in protected freshwater turtles and alligators, the news release said. (Encyclopaedia Britannica/UIG via Getty Images) 19, 2020, announced arrests in a million-dollar smuggling ring that saw thousands of the protected creatures sent overseas to South Korea. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials on Monday, Oct. Each of the new participants would not know the identity of the other suspects.”įlying squirrel smuggling ring An illustration of a flying squirrel is pictured. A second hired courier would then drive the animals to Chicago. “One Georgia courier would fly to Orlando, rent a vehicle and drive the animals to Atlanta. "As the operation expanded, couriers from the state of Georgia would take over the transports. “The animals were driven in rental cars to Chicago, where the source of the animals was further concealed, and the animals were exported to Asia by an unwitting international wildlife exporter,” FWC investigators allege. The wildlife dealer’s main customer was a company called Hayyim Creative, which, according to records, paid Knox $213,800 for more than 2,000 since late 2017. Wildlife investigators learned that buyers from South Korea would come to the U.S. “The FWC estimates the international retail value of the poached wildlife will exceed $1 million.” "In three years, the wildlife dealer received as much as $213,800 in gross illegal proceeds. “The poachers deployed as many as 10,000 squirrel traps throughout central Florida and as many as 3,600 flying squirrels were captured in less than three years,” the FWC news release said. #illegalwildlifetrade - Monitor Conservation Research Society September 15, 2020 Knox Farm owner in jail awaiting trial, facing up to 30yrs jail for smuggling thousands of flying squirrels from Florida for the Korean pet market. Racketeering, scheming to defraud, dealing in stolen property, and more. National Geographic reported that while they were monitoring Knox’s current business, they were also learning more about his dealings over the years. Investigators placed GPS trackers on Knox’s and Harrod’s vehicles, as well as a vehicle belonging to Taylor, who had by this time been recorded on security cameras trapping squirrels in Weeki Wachee, about 35 miles west of Bushnell. He was fined $350 for the cage violation, but wildlife investigators continued to probe his dealings. ![]() An investigator told National Geographic that Knox’s explanation was not credible.Īll 177 flying squirrels found at Knox’s farm were in a single cage, which is not the typical setup for a breeding operation. Knox claimed the squirrels had been bred in captivity, the release said. Roebuck and Harrod told authorities they would sell the squirrels they caught to Knox, who investigators learned would then launder the creatures through his licensed business, Rodney Knox Farm. (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission) ![]() Flying squirrel smuggling ring Pictured are some of the traps and wild-caught flying squirrels confiscated by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
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