26 Counts Of Wildlife Trafficking & Possession Of Endangered Species Follow Raid Of Antique Shop In Hawaii

Maui shop owner, Shane Rosberg of Kula, was arrested last week and charged with 26 counts of wildlife trafficking and 26 counts of possession of endangered and protected wildlife.

Executing a search warrant, officers from the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE), and NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement (OLE), confiscated dozens of items from the Antique Freak shop in Wailuku last Tuesday.

As per a statement released by the DLNR, bail for each of the misdemeanor charges was set at $250, for a total of $13,000.

Under state law, no person shall 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.

Evidence collected during the search included various species of threatened and endangered wildlife, including whale tooth ivory, elephant ivory, walrus ivory, and turtle shells.

Rosberg’s first appearance in Wailuku District Court is scheduled for June 15th at 10:30 a.m. For a first conviction, there would be a mandatory fine of not less than $200, or imprisonment of not more than one year. If the state elects to charge him under Hawai‘i Administrative Rules, he could be fined up to $10,000.

“This was a joint effort between the Maui and Hawai‘i Island DOCARE branches and NOAA/OLE. The Maui Police Department processed the suspect,” stated DOCARE Chief Jason Redulla. “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.”