NEW YORK
An antiques dealer, who smuggled “libation cups” carved from rhinoceros horns from the U.S. to China, was sentenced to two years in prison, officials announced today
Linxun Liao, 35, a citizen of Canada, was sentenced Thursday in Manhattan federal court for his role in a wildlife trafficking scheme, officials said.
In addition to his prison term, officials said Liao was also ordered two years of supervised release, to forfeit $1 million and 304 pieces of carved ivory found during a search of a New Jersey location. Liao was also banned from future involvement in the wildlife trade.
The market value of the rhinoceros libation cups in this case is more than $1 million.
“This defendant flouted the laws established to protect endangered wildlife,” said U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara. “Willfully failing to declare the nature of the shipments or obtain required permits, Liao broke laws that protect rhinoceros and other magnificent species threatened with extinction. He has learned the cost of his illegal conduct.”
According to the evidence, this is what happened:
- Liao was arrested in February 2015 as part of “Operation Crash,” a nationwide crackdown on illegal trafficking in rhinoceros horns.
- Liao was a partner in an Asian art and antiques business located in China. Liao’s role was to purchase items, including wildlife items, in the United States and arrange for their export to China.
- Between in or about March 2012 and May 2013, Liao made online purchases of 16 rhinoceros horn products, more specifically libation cups, from auction houses in the United States, including in Manhattan.
- He then smuggled the products to China without the required declarations and permits.
- In order to make these purchases, Liao used an address of his family members in New Jersey because he knew that absent a domestic address, the auction houses would not ship him the rhinoceros horn as well as ivory that Liao had acquired.
- Liao then used a Manhattan-based courier service to illegally export the merchandise to China.
- Liao didn’t declare the rhinoceros exports to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or obtain the required permits.
- Liao closely coordinated his efforts with co-conspirators who sold the items for a profit at their antique business in China.
The rhinoceros is an herbivore species of prehistoric origin and one of the largest remaining mega-fauna on earth. They have no known predators other than humans, officials stated.
All species of rhinoceros are protected under U.S. and international law.