Re: VFT smuggler
Sean Barry (sjbarry@ucdavis.edu)
Wed, 28 Feb 1996 13:28:06 -0800 (PST)
I didn't mean to start an argument when I forwarded the release about the
VFT smuggler--it was just for everyone's information. I remind you all
that (as Andreas admitted) no one in this list knows anything about the
case beyond what was posted, so it's pointless to get inflammatory. What
I found interesting is what the accused is actually in trouble for, which
is smuggling. It doesn't matter what he was smuggling, just that that's
what he was doing. The status of VFTs in the market, in the wild, or in
CITES is irrelevant. To me it says something very unsavory about that
individual that he was willing to smuggle so many plants--clearly he
intended to market them. I'd like to believe that most if not all people
in such an enriching hobby would refuse to do business with a smuggler,
which in a nutshell is why I forwarded the release.
Sean Barry