Smuggler Caught Shipping tarantulas in LA

rasputin

Arachnodemon
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 3, 2008
Messages
736
I know a certain dealer...you, up top!...who has stock from Sven (knowingly or not) and might, for his 15mins of abominable reality tv's sake defend Sven instead of denouncing him. Sven is a top notch guy and "Operation Spiderman" was entrapment. Brace yourselves folks because a hellstorm is a coming down the pipes and all your petitioning will do nothing to sway the paupers in power - it's time for "assembly" and outright protest of a corrupt system that would use an un-Constitutional means to snare someone for the sake of taking swings at the hobby, and perhaps go after a real change in the laws in regards to the hobby instead of waiting for some politico to actually give 5 minutes to one of the letters. And, as far as Brachypelma smithi is involved, not one species, not one on Sven's list is on the CITES list.
 

KenTheBugGuy

Arachnodemon
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 10, 2007
Messages
676
Funny

I know a certain dealer...you, up top!...who has stock from Sven (knowingly or not) and might, for his 15mins of abominable reality tv's sake defend Sven instead of denouncing him. Sven is a top notch guy and "Operation Spiderman" was entrapment. Brace yourselves folks because a hellstorm is a coming down the pipes and all your petitioning will do nothing to sway the paupers in power - it's time for "assembly" and outright protest of a corrupt system that would use an un-Constitutional means to snare someone for the sake of taking swings at the hobby, and perhaps go after a real change in the laws in regards to the hobby instead of waiting for some politico to actually give 5 minutes to one of the letters. And, as far as Brachypelma smithi is involved, not one species, not one on Sven's list is on the CITES list.
For one I can not and will not ever advocate for someone that brown boxes. I don't like doing imports legally either but I do for the simple reason of not breaking the law and being prosecuted like this as the US is strict on imports. Also I do not control what they show of our business in TV programs either that is entirely up to production.

Now that being said i definately don't agree that this guy should go to prison and I also think that it is pretty stupid that just cause they don't have papers that shipping captive breds would still be considered shipping a "Cities" animal. As I stated in the begining I do feel sorry for this guy as he is being made an example of but this is nothing new and he did know the risk. I have practically shouted out the risk over the past few months and well....also get lots of argument about it. Its easy to know that you are sending stuff illegal and that it has a certain risk of being caught.

I don't agree that a lot of things should be illegal but I don't go breaking all those laws cause I don't agree with them and if I do I would have to accept the risk that beaking that one comes with.....my ticket for talking on my cell phone earlier this year. I knew it was a risk but I did it anyways and well I got caught.
 

mercury904

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jun 22, 2010
Messages
49
I wonder what will happen to this guy,ill keep an eye on this thread if anyone has an update keep us posted

I've heard alot from this guy from various exotic pet websites,I hope that he finds his way out ..christmas behind bars :( thats awefulll!!
 

Sonya

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 30, 2010
Messages
1
OMG, this is like a nighmare...

As someone mentioned earlier, Sven is (well, was) one of the most important dealer in Europe and this is truly lost for us. He had very good collections and pricies were also very reasonable.
 

Kaos

Arachnolord
Old Timer
Joined
May 8, 2003
Messages
611
That's awful :( I bought loads of T's from Sven earlier when i was more active in the hobby. I'm sure that those where captive bred, but does'nt help without the paperwork. The cites papers are expensive so i guess that's why. Hopefully he will get a reduced sentence when they understand that they are bred in Germany, the point of Cites is to protect animals in their natural environment.
 

barabootom

Arachnolord
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 1, 2008
Messages
644
I wonder how many tens of thousands of tax dollars were spent to entrap a dealer selling captive bred non invasive pet trade tarantulas? Well, I suppose world hunger and sickness can thrive a little longer because we have more important problems.
 

curiousme

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
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Dec 11, 2008
Messages
1,661
He had to know he was breaking the law. Shipping T's across borders without permits is extremely foolish. Even if he was highly respected, this kind of smuggling hurts legit dealers as well as legit breeders and collectors. If indeed all the T's were captive bred, I hope they don't stick him with maximum penalties, but he certainly deserves to be punished.
He only deserves to be punished, if you agree with the law in this instance IMO. Yes, he should have done the proper paperwork, but sending someone to jail over paperwork and permits is ludicrous; to threaten up to 20 years is preposterous.

I wonder how many tens of thousands of tax dollars were spent to entrap a dealer selling captive bred non invasive pet trade tarantulas? Well, I suppose world hunger and sickness can thrive a little longer because we have more important problems.
I do however completely agree with this ^

The fact that the government spent money on this Spiderman sting at all is downright enraging, but I really wonder about the bottom dollar on this one was.

The irony of being arrested for providing CB American spiders to America is mind bottling.:wall:
 

Neill

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 20, 2010
Messages
16
With the amount of people around the world that have dealt with Sven, frankly I find it amazing that people are so quick to jump on the typical media bandwagon.
The law in the USA is ridiculous in the extreme, and so full of red tape that it becomes prohibitive in the extreme.
I know this from personal experience, having lived in the US, and now living in the UK, and wanting to swap species with Americans. It is a nightmare, and not worth it.

As for Sven, well it seems he has been well and truly stitched up. I have ordered and received loads of spiders from him. All CB, all top notch, and always with Sven on the phone or email.

At the end of the day, it is the American members of our hobby that will suffer, as people will think twice about even trying, and prices will go up. Of course, that will be good for the local breeders, but that pool will become stagnant over time. We really need to try and change this stupid legislation.
 

Le Wasp

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 25, 2007
Messages
243
Is a petition in order? From what it sounds like, this is a really stand-up guy who was nailed for shipping cb slings. I doubt the lawmakers realize the significance of the cb status (and that it actually HELPS PREVENT smuggling of CITES species)... but perhaps with enough people signing a petition, they could see this situation in a different light and reduce his sentence.
 

Bill S

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 2, 2006
Messages
1,418
http://www.cites.org/eng/app/appendices.shtml
All Brachypelma are covered under CITES
A lot of people misunderstand what CITES entails. There are different levels of CITES - At the highest level trade is completely prohibited. At the lowest level you are only required to report import/export of listed species. The Brachypelmas are in the mid range and require permits from the country of export.
 

kbekker

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 11, 2007
Messages
181
A lot of people misunderstand what CITES entails. There are different levels of CITES - At the highest level trade is completely prohibited. At the lowest level you are only required to report import/export of listed species. The Brachypelmas are in the mid range and require permits from the country of export.
It is referred to as appendix 2, but the original quote stated he didn't have anything on a CITES list. As you stated shipping Appendix 2 species between countries requires a permit. Additionally both Germany and United States are member countries of CITES.
 

Sonya

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 30, 2010
Messages
1
Even if the Sven could prove the origin of those slings and that they are CB, there could be a chance that goverment makes him as a cautionary example.
Ok, he has breach the law and I think goverment doesn't give a *piip*, will our hobby suffer for that.

Personally I think, for example, that the most of Finnish tarantulas are from Sven. Our society is small already, we don't breed tarantulas regularly so we are very conditional on the production of German's breeders.

And I also think Sven has done very great job for the hobby. I think it isn't easy to care, organize and package all the spiders which he sents. To me it's very ok, that he makes also some profit.
 

esotericman

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 15, 2004
Messages
298
If anyone has any updates from factual sources, please share them. His initial court appearance was supposed to be yesterday afternoon.
 

CID143ti

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
May 3, 2003
Messages
261
Sad to hear the news...but this is proof that the government will get theirs'...and at all costs. If you try to pull a fast one on the US government, they will spend way more money and man hours on searching, catching and prosecuting an individual than the actual value of the infraction. It may seem backwards but this is what keeps the underlings "in check."

W. Smith
 

Big_nito

TRISKELION
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 18, 2010
Messages
255
Spending too much money to entrap a "smuggler" is really ridiculous to say the least. Why wont they just use the money to help uplift the economy. Plus, didnt the government know that the tarantula hobby is infact helping the nature IMO coz it helps people understand the tarantula in general. 20 years of punishment is totally crazy. So u mean killing someone (10-20 years) is less serious compared to smuggling tarantula (20 years). IMO, this totally insane.
 

baldpoodle

Arachnopeon
Joined
May 16, 2004
Messages
36
Shame shame shame.
Sven has been stitched up here.
There are a few people from the U.K who could be dragged through the coals for doing similar things and I bet they have been reading the various threads about Sven.

Good luck Sven some of us are rooting for you to get through this in one bit.
 

PAUL BOLLINGER

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 22, 2004
Messages
36
Smuggler busted

My mother wrote me today and said there was an article in the Orlando Sentinel about some T smugglers getting busted in the states...

Here's what she sent me

"
In the Orlando newspaper this morning there was an article about a German man who allegedly shipped hundreds of live tarantulas into the US thru the mail was charged with illegally importing wildlife.* Sven Koppler, 37 years old was arrested in Los Angeles after the feds investigation found thata package contained 300 live tarantulas mailed to Los Angeles.* US Fish and Wildlife intercepted two more packages, one containing 22 Mexican red kneed tarantulas, a species that is protected under the international treaty.* Thought you would find that article interesting."


I say Good!

Anyway, just though it'd be an interesting topic....

PB
 
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