Federal authorities have arrested six New York Metropolis residents for allegedly smuggling unlawful duck and goose organs from China by way of Los Angeles, in line with a federal criticism.
The shipments, which occurred between August 2022 and Might 2023, contained goose and duck intestines from China and had been in some situations mislabeled on customs varieties as pet nail clippers or hidden underneath packaged rattlesnakes, authorities stated.
The scheme additionally included “duck-blood merchandise from unapproved institutions in China,” in addition to hawthorn fruit — a restricted agricultural commodity, authorities stated. The operation allegedly concerned transporting the products from China to the Port of Lengthy Seaside in Los Angeles after which to New York, the place authorities say they had been bought to a number of clients, together with eating places and customers.
Ming Huang Chen, 40, often known as Joe Chen, allegedly ran the operation that imported and bought the unlawful items, prosecutors stated. Chen’s home companion, Runhua Hou or Rachael Hou, 32, is accused of helping Chen. Each had been charged with illegally importing merchandise into the U.S.
Hangming Fang, 38, who ran a enterprise in New York referred to as Chu Feng Meals Wholesale, and Shanqing Ou, 38, had been additionally charged with smuggling. Hangting Lin, 32, and Minghao Lin, 38, had been accused of transporting the unlawful items.
The one meat and poultry imports from China allowed by the Meals and Security Inspection Service of the U.S. Division of Agriculture are catfish and “heat-treated/cooked” poultry merchandise, in line with the criticism.
Authorities allege that the originators of the conspiracy reside in California and China, and that they discovered “transporters” similar to Chen and Hou to maneuver the unlawful objects from California into New York. Then wholesalers, similar to Fang and Ou, would promote the merchandise to clients.
In August 2022, 1,966 cartons of duck and goose intestines had been shipped from China to the Port of Lengthy Seaside, however they had been recognized as “pet grooming instrument pet nail clippers” on customs varieties, in line with the criticism.
The cartons had been taken to Los Angeles Worldwide Airport and flown to John F. Kennedy Worldwide Airport in New York, authorities stated.
In November 2022, unlawful merchandise had been hidden underneath packages of useless rattlesnakes whereas others had been mislabeled as frozen seafood, prosecutors stated.