Officers raid antique shop in Wailuku, charge man with wildlife trafficking
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The Maui News
State and federal officers raided an antique shop in Wailuku on Tuesday, confiscating dozens of items and arresting a 42-year-old Kula man for alleged wildlife violations.
Shane Rosberg was charged with 26 counts of prohibited wildlife trafficking and 26 counts of possession of endangered and protected wildlife, according to the state Department of Land and Natural Resources. His bail for each of the misdemeanor charges was set at $250, for a total of $13,000.
DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement officers executed a search warrant Tuesday along with officers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office of Law Enforcement.
They collected evidence that included various species of threatened and endangered wildlife, including whale tooth ivory, elephant ivory, walrus ivory and turtle shells, DLNR said.
State law makes it illegal to sell, offer to sell, purchase, trade, possess with intent to sell, or barter for any part or product from the following animal family, genus or species: sea turtle, elephant, rhinoceros, tiger, great ape, hippopotamus, lion, pangolin, cheetah, jaguar, leopard, monk seal, walrus or narwhal.
"This was a joint effort between the Maui and Hawai'i Island DOCARE branches and NOAA/OLE," DOCARE Chief Jason Redulla said in a news release Wednesday. "The Maui Police Department processed the suspect. Law enforcement takes these violations seriously and we hope this case serves as a warning to anyone who may be peddling or possessing items with the intent to sell, made from endangered or protected species."
Rosberg's first appearance in Wailuku District Court is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. June 15. A first conviction comes with a mandatory fine of at least $200 or imprisonment of up to a year, according to DLNR. If the state elects to charge him under Hawaii Administrative Rules, he could be fined up to $10,000.