Two RSA PHs were arrested by federal agents yesterday at the Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show in Harrisburg, PA, and charged with the illegal importation of Leopard skins. Willem Basson, of Zeekoepan Safaris in Pongola, and Jan Swart, of Trophy Hunting Safaris in Thabazimbi were both arrested,placed in handcuffs, and escorted out of the building.

The buzz among the African Exhibitors at the show is that Mr. Basson is being charged as a minor conspirator,and may get off with a fine, while Mr. Swart is looking at more serious charges, and could face up to 10 years in federal prison.

mikeh416Rigby????????

Was this an honest misunderstanding of the (complex) law, or a deliberate attempt to circumvent existing legal restrictions?

Any further details? I am supposing that a client was involved in some way, shape or form, as well.

I wasn't there and I know absolutely zero about cites and spotted cat skins but I have seen the feds in operation at exotic bird shows and they were chickenshit, lying, overzealous, assholes.
And if the case goes to trial they will lie there too.

quote:

Originally posted by Use Enough Gun:
Any further details? I am supposing that a client was involved in some way, shape or form, as well.

I have no other details, but I was told that 2 men from Canada were arrested as well. I don't know what their relationship, if any, is to the PHs taken into custody.

A few years ago a Mexican Outfitter was arrested at SCI smuggling in Jaguar skins. I am not sure if a client was ever identified.

I can't see how two PH's did NOT know that you need a CITES permit to bring a Leopard skin into the USA.

Wolfgar, I think analog_peninsula asked the really relevant question!

Yes, any South African PH will 'know' that if your client wants to take a leopard and export his trophy a CITES permit is needed. But with two PH's discussing what they are going to use to give their stall an "Africa-look" one may very well say: "I'll borrow the skin of the leopard that my daddy shot in 1952." In this scenario it is, for me, quite understandable that they simply did not THINK! But if the did think about it for even a few seconds, I'm sure that they would have realized what risk they are taking.

Maybe not even that! In South Africa we are now so used to criminals getting away with crime, that it may have rubbed off on these unfortunate gents. I mean in South Africa murder, rape, armed robbery are all actually illegal, but we see daily how criminals do it and get away with it! They may have assumed that they would get away with bringing a leopard skin to the USA, "Just for display at the show!". I do not personally know any one of them, so I cannot comment, only speculate. I think in all probability the scenario of just not thinking and packing the leopard skin into a suitcase to use as attractant at their stall applies. But then someone offered them $$ for the skin, and they accepted it to help cover their costs, and the buyer talked about the real bargain leopard skin he bought for collection after the show and so on and so forth....Back to analog_peninsula's question!

Whatever, two South African PH's are going to learn a very expensive and humiliating lesson! To be "placed in handcuffs" and escourted out of the building by "chickenshit, lying, overzealous, assholes" must be a hard one to swallow!

I would really like to have follow-up on this one when more facts are known!


In good hunting.

Andrew McLaren

quote:

....then someone offered them $$ for the skin, and they accepted it to help cover their costs, and the buyer..

IS A FED

Guess they have been taking notes from the ATF

Keith

So does anyone know anything of these two gentlemen and their outfitting businesses? Anyone hunted with them?

Iknow Jan Swart and he hunted on my ranch a few times. He is a gentleman and a very good outfitter and ph so i dont know why he where arrested only time will tells.

Luan
Kwes is K@K

I hunted plains game with Jan Swart several years ago and found him to be a straight up guy. He's been in business since 1983. I had stopped by his display booth on Monday, and was told that "he wasn't here today". His booth had no Leopard skin on display. I found out on Tuesday, that he had been arrested the previous day. His display booth was being dismanteled, and packed up on Tuesday.I don't know if he was/will be allowed to post bail, but a trial will be scheduled for sometime after April, in Colorado.

quote:

Originally posted by mikeh375:
I hunted plains game with Jan Swart several years ago and found him to be a straight up guy. He's been in business since 1983. I had stopped by his display booth on Monday, and was told that "he wasn't here today". His booth had no Leopard skin on display. I found out on Tuesday, that he had been arrested the previous day. His display booth was being dismanteled, and packed up on Tuesday.I don't know if he was/will be allowed to post bail, but a trial will be scheduled for sometime after April, in Colorado.

He gets arrested in PA and his trial is in Colorado?

Will be heading there on Saturday and see if I can find anything out...

Mike

quote:

Originally posted by Bwanahile:

quote:

Originally posted by mikeh375:
I hunted plains game with Jan Swart several years ago and found him to be a straight up guy. He's been in business since 1983. I had stopped by his display booth on Monday, and was told that "he wasn't here today". His booth had no Leopard skin on display. I found out on Tuesday, that he had been arrested the previous day. His display booth was being dismanteled, and packed up on Tuesday.I don't know if he was/will be allowed to post bail, but a trial will be scheduled for sometime after April, in Colorado.

He gets arrested in PA and his trial is in Colorado?

I was questioning that too. Maybe it has something to do with where the alleged infraction occurred.

All the speculation about leopard skins and "lying Feds" is just that, speculation.

The fact that he was arrested in PA and is facing trial in Colorado probably means the case is unrelated to the show.

A good guess would be something in possibly Reno as the trial is to be in Colorado.

quote:

Originally posted by Fjold:
The fact that he was arrested in PA and is facing trial in Colorado probably means the case is unrelated to the show.

Also just speculation!!

They must have tried to bring the skins in in their luggge - if so that's ballsy!

quote:

Originally posted by Walker:
but I have seen the feds in operation at exotic bird shows and they were chickenshit, lying, overzealous, assholes.
And if the case goes to trial they will lie there too.

I'd vote for that scenario.

It's more than "ballsy" it's STUPID.

Interesting. Nothing in the news yet.

If true, however, there will be a press release issued by whatever agency arrested him (USFW?) in the next few days.

Andrew,
I re-read the posts, and you do have a point.
I was assuming that the skins were raw, in which case there is no excuse for not knowing about that.
If the skins were tanned/finished it could be another story...but as you said, more details are nedded to fully understand what happened.

Speculation is specualtion, and so I'll offer my own.

Jan and/or his shipping company sent some hunters shipment to the US which contained leopard skins. It had to clear customs in Denver, because that location was the closest to the client and/or taxidermist. When it arrived, there was no paperwork, or the paperwork was expired, and the govt confiscated and then began an investigation. Hence the charges origination in CO.

I seem to recall a poster here that was working as a PH for for Jan a while back. Perhaps he can provide details into what happened should he still be employed there.

quote:

and could face up to 10 years in federal prison.

First let me say that I have not one smidgen of info on this matter. Friends of mine (from Africa) are at that show and when I see them next week I will find out what they know/seen.

Can anybody cite me an example of where anybody did more than a year in Federal prison over a first-time Lacey Act violation?

The French have an expression...something like 'for the encouragement of others'. The Feds are famous for making arrests with lots of fanfare and media attention. Sometimes it backfires badly like Waco and Ruby Ridge.

If these guys were led out of the Harrisburg Show in handcuffs over some skins it was indeed for the 'encouragement of others'.

Word from the PH's at the show is that a Leopard was taken in Zim and then transfered into SA. The skin or mount was brought into the states along with some others. 1 illegal in with 4 or 4 with 1? It was discovered by Fed's or another rumour is the client didnt get his cut and called the Feds.

Either way an investigation was conducted and they were found in violation of a number of our laws and were arrested. Some same it was FBI that cuffed them at the show.

Will try to find out the real story.

Another SA operator was openly selling hunts on confiscated lands and was confronted by some Zim PH's.

I thought it was odd that the Swarts were not in their booth today( Wednesday is a busy day). There was literature availible but no one around.

They do have a local guy helping them every year, a Dr. who goes with them very year.

If I can fight off the cold that someone there gave me I will be back on Friday and will snoop around.

Dulcinea

Jan's wife, Christie, didn't come to the show this year. I've been trying to reach her at home, but haven't had any luck yet.

quote:

Originally posted by Bwanahile:

quote:

Originally posted by mikeh375:
I hunted plains game with Jan Swart several years ago and found him to be a straight up guy. He's been in business since 1983. I had stopped by his display booth on Monday, and was told that "he wasn't here today". His booth had no Leopard skin on display. I found out on Tuesday, that he had been arrested the previous day. His display booth was being dismanteled, and packed up on Tuesday.I don't know if he was/will be allowed to post bail, but a trial will be scheduled for sometime after April, in Colorado.

He gets arrested in PA and his trial is in Colorado?

I was told today by one of the PHs wifes that the reason the trial will be in Colorado is because that is where the crate was intercepted by USF&WS.

Do anybody have an update???

Gerhard

For what its worth...I spoke to the outfitter who was right next to Swart's booth...
3 USF&W agents came and placed him under arrest...His booth's exits were covered and the third agent walked up and told him he is under arrest and was cuffed and led away...He was flown to Colorado and is now under $1million dollar bond...The investigation is over 2 years.

How much is true not sure but the outfitter telling me, said it rattled him...

Mike