12 Arrested for Bear Skin, Elephant Feet Sales

Jan. 9, 2012— -- intro: The sale of leopard skin coats, tiger skin rugs, turtle shell leather shoes and other illegal animal products led to the arrest of 12 individuals in the Los Angeles area this week.

The items had been sold to undercover agents from the Fish and Wildlife Service and California Department of Fish and Game during an investigation known as Operation Cyberwild, launched in July.

"Our ecosystem is complex and precious. Unfortunately, this delicate system continues to face serious threats, including poaching, the introduction of non-native species, and the illegal sale of endangered species," said US Attorney Andre Birotte Jr.

Birotte said that as much as two-thirds of illegal sales of endangered animals takes place in the U.S., making the killing of protected animals more profitable. He called the 12 arrests a response to the "alarming trend" of illegal animal sales.

The individuals face up to a year in prison.

Here are some of the products seized by investigators in Operation Cyberwild:

quicklist: 1category: Operation Cyberwildtitle: Loggerhead Sea Turtle Leather Boots $1,000url: text: George Lovell, 49, of Las Vegas, Nev., allegedly sold a pair of loggerhead sea turtle leather boots for $1,000 after offering them for sale on Craigslist.media:15323587caption: Image credit: Central District of California

quicklist: 2category: Operation Cyberwildtitle: Elephant's Foot, Mounted Hawk, and Mounted Owlurl: text: Alfredo Vazquez, 50, of Montebello, Calif., allegedly sold to undercover operatives an elephant's foot, a mounted hawk, and a mounted owl.media: 15323597caption: Image credit: Central District of California

quicklist: 3category: Operation Cyberwildtitle: Leopard Skin Coat, $8,000url: text: Lisa Naumu, 49, of San Diego, Calif., allegedly sold an $8,000 leopard skin coat after placing an ad on Craigslist that offered three such coats for sale. media: 15323611caption: Image credit: Central District of California

quicklist: 4category: Operation Cyberwildtitle: Endangered Tiger Rug, $10,000url: text: Victor Northrop, 48, of Henderson, Nev., allegedly accepted $10,000 for a rug made out of an endangered tiger after offering the item for sale on Craigslist for $12,500.media:15323643caption: Image credit: Central District of California

quicklist: 5category: Operation Cyberwildtitle: Live Western Scrub-Jay, $185url: text: Karla Trejo, 42, of Sherman Oaks, Calif., is charged with selling a live Western Scrub-Jay for $185 after posting an ad on Craigslist. media:15323655caption: Image credit: Central District of California

quicklist: 6category: Operation Cyberwildtitle: Asian Arowana Fish, $2,500url: text: Dan Tram "Majkah" Huynh, 30, of San Diego, Calif., allegedly sold an Asian arowana to an undercover agent for $2,500 after offering the fish for sale on Craigslist. media: 15323667caption: Image credit: Central District of California

quicklist: 7category: Operation Cyberwildtitle: Two live Red-whiskered Bulbul birds, $1,750url: text: Henry Dao, 41, of Garden Grove, Calif., allegedly sold two live red-whiskered bulbul birds for $1,750 after offering the injurious species for sale on a website used to trade and sell "softbill" birds. media:15323678caption: Image credit: Central District of California

quicklist: 8category: Operation Cyberwildtitle: Sea Turtle Leather Shoes, $250url: text: Alex Madar, 27, of San Diego, allegedly sold sea turtle leather shoes for $250 after posting the items for sale on Craigslist. media: 15323690 caption: Image credit: Central District of California

quicklist: 9category: Operation Cyberwildtitle: Hawksbill Sea Turtle Shellurl: text: Kamipeli Piuleine, 35, of Torrance, Calif., allegedly sold a Hawksbill sea turtle shell that had been listed on eBay.media:15323702caption: Image credit: Central District of California

quicklist: 10category: Operation Cyberwildtitle: Protected Migratory Birds, $150url: text: Tyler Homesley, 24, of Ramona, Calif., allegedly offered to sell three birds, including two protected migratory birds, for $150, plus a $25 delivery fee. media: 15323758caption: Image credit: Central District of California

quicklist: 11category: Operation Cyberwildtitle: Bear Skin Rugurl: text: James I. Colburn, 66, of Leona Valley, Calif., allegedly sold a bear skin rug. media: 15323769caption: Image credit: Central District of California

quicklist: 12category: Operation Cyberwildtitle: Live Piranhaurl: text: Blake William Diekman, 27, of South Pasadena, Calif., allegedly sold a live prianha. media: 15323782 caption: Image credit: Central District of California