An organized Traveller gang from Rathkeale in Co Limerick is being targeted by police in the United States for their multi-million dollar global trade in stolen rhino horn.
According to the Irish Examiner, the crackdown in the US has resulted in the seizure of 37 rhino horns, which authorities estimate as valued between $8m and $10m.
The huge police operation, named Operation Crash, to date, has not arrested any members of the notorious criminal network called the Rathkeale Rovers.
The gang, whose reach has spread across China, Australia, and North and South America, are also heavily involved in tarmac fraud, the distribution of counterfeit goods, organized robbery, money laundering, and drug trafficking.
The EU police agency Europol have said the gang sourced the rhino horns, which are worth between €25,000 and €200,000 each, by targeting antique dealers, auction houses, art galleries, museums, private collections, and zoos. They sold them by "exploiting" international auction houses in France, the US, and China.
Under UN laws, trading in rhino horns is illegal as rhinos are an endangered species.
Three agencies in the US - the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the Homeland Security Department and the Internal Revenue Service - set up an operation last February to uncover the buyers of the horns. Eight people were arrested, including a rodeo cowboy, a Chinese businessman, a Vietnamese nail salon owner, and a US antiques expert.
Edward Grace of the US Fish and Wildlife Service said that more arrests are expected in the coming months.
"This case also involves other Irish buying rhino horns in the US," Mr Grace told AFP. "I can’t go into a lot of details on it."
It was the activities of two Irish men from Rathkeale, Co Limerick, that brought the attention of US law enforcement to the trade.
Richard O’Brien and Michael Hegarty were arrested after paying undercover agents in Colorado some $17,000 for four black rhino horns.
They were charged with conspiracy, smuggling and money laundering, and served six months in a US prison, reported the Irish Examiner.
Grace said the trade in illegal rhino horns was "really being fuelled by the Irish Travellers", but said Chinese and Vietnamese criminals were also involved.
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.timbobdennehy | May 15, 2012, 06:04 PM EDT
rathkeale does not surprise me in the least.
Murph46 | May 14, 2012, 06:46 PM EDT
Curitiba-Ya suppose the others hear the same voices in their heads that we do?
Curitiba | May 14, 2012, 06:02 PM EDT
Ah, that answers my question, Murph. All perfectly legit, how could I have thought otherwise!
Murph46 | May 14, 2012, 05:08 PM EDT
Would that be Wipeout by the Ventures?
Murph46 | May 14, 2012, 04:00 PM EDT
Seamus,no,just a small area rug!
Murph46 | May 14, 2012, 03:57 PM EDT
Curitiba-It's the fourth box from the top International Bad Boys that they must check!
Curitiba | May 14, 2012, 01:53 PM EDT
I'm sorry, how are these people getting visas to operate in the USA, Aus, China, etc? Is there a special "criminal gang" category in the application form?
seamus60 | May 14, 2012, 01:45 PM EDT
Had you not to buy a roll of carpet as well......Damn
Murph46 | May 14, 2012, 11:31 AM EDT
I was just thinking the other day-What is it that I don't have in my life and really,really,really need? Yeah that's it Rhino Horns,then,lo and behold,my doorbell rang ,and this Irish lad was standing there with these horns on a rope around his neck saying "How many would ya like"! So,says I...........