PETALING JAYA – A Malaysian wildlife smuggler was sentenced to 18 months’ jail in the United States for trafficking hundreds of kilograms of rhinoceros horns worth millions of dollars.
According to a press release from the US Attorney’s Office, Teo Boon Ching’s activities involved the illegal poaching of numerous rhinoceros, an endangered wildlife species.
The sentence was imposed by US district judge Paul A. Crotty.
Teo, 58, also went by the names of “Zhang”, “Datuk Seri” and “Godfather”, read the statement.
The US Attorney’s Office added that Teo was extradited from Thailand, adding that he is the sixth large-scale wildlife trafficker sentenced in cases recently brought by the department.
Based on the charging and other documents filed in the case, as well as statements made in court proceedings, Teo is a member of a transnational criminal conspiracy engaged in the large-scale international trafficking and smuggling of rhinoceros horns to be sold to foreign buyers.
Trade involving endangered or threatened species violates several US laws and international treaties implemented by certain US laws.
During the course of the conspiracy and related conduct, Teo conspired to transport, distribute, sell, and smuggle at least approximately 219kg of rhinoceros horns resulting from the poaching of numerous rhinoceros and having an estimated value of at least approximately US$2.1 million (RM9.85 million).
On a number of occasions, Teo met with a confidential source to negotiate the sale of rhinoceros horns.
For example, on July 17 and 18, 2019, the confidential source met with Teo in Malaysia and during those meetings, Teo stated that he served as a “middleman” – one who acquires rhinoceros horns poached by co-conspirators in Africa and ships them to customers around the world for a fee.
He also promised the confidential source that “as long as you have cash, I can give you the goods in one to two days”.
During their communications, Teo sent the confidential source numerous photographs of rhinoceros horns that he had available for sale and shipment.
In August 2019, the confidential source, at the direction of law enforcement, purchased 12 rhinoceros horns from Teo with money that Teo believed was the proceeds of other illegal wildlife trafficking and was in bank accounts in New York.
These horns were delivered in a suitcase in Thailand by those working for the wildlife trafficking organisation.
A US Fish and Wildlife Service forensics laboratory examined the rhinoceros horns, and concluded that two horn pieces were black rhinoceros horns and the other 10 pieces were white rhinoceros horns.
Teo was arrested in Thailand on June 29, 2022, at the request of the US, pursuant to a bilateral extradition treaty.
He was extradited to the US on October 7, 2022.
“Wildlife trafficking is a serious threat to the natural resources and the ecological heritage shared by communities across the globe, enriching poachers responsible for the senseless illegal slaughter of numerous endangered rhinoceros and furthering the market for these illicit products.
“The substantial sentence shows the resolve of this office to use every tool at our disposal to ensure the protection of endangered species,” said US attorney Damian Williams. – The Vibes, September 20, 2023
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