Petros "Pete" Leventis

Smuggling Internationally protected corals

Tampa, FL

August, 1999

Leventis is the first person ever convicted in a U.S. federal court on felony charges of smuggling internationally protected corals. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison. In addition Leventis was fined $5,000 and ordered to undergo two years of federal supervision upon his release from prison. Leventis' company, Greek Island Imports, Inc. was fined $25,000 and put on probation for five years.

The company sold ocean-related gifts. Leventis was convicted of smuggling protected corals and seashells from the Republic of the Philippines into the United States. He was also convicted of violating the Lacy Act, which bars importation and exportation of wildlife taken in violation of U.S., foreign or state and local laws.

Coral reefs are home to nearly one-fourth of the world's ocean fish and thousands of other marine organisms making commercial exploitation a serious threat to their survival. Customs and wildlife inspectors opened a 40-foot shipping box and found 400 boxes of coral and seashells bound for Greek Island Imports. The boxes were falsely labeled and shipped in violation of the Endangered Species Act.

Reference:

Reuter's news services

Planet Ark