FOR JOINING US TONIGHT.
DRUG TRAFFICKING, FRAUD AND
ILLEGAL TRADE IN EXOTIC ANIMAL
PARTS.. THOSE ARE JUST SOME OF
THE CHARGES FACING DOZENS OF
PEOPLE TONIGHT - INCLUDING A
GEORGIA MAN. INVESTIGATORS
WITH THE U-S ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
SAY -- THEY WERE PART OF AN
INTERNATIONAL CRIME RING THAT
STARTED RIGHT HERE IN OUR
AREA. NEWS 3'S ANDREW DAVIS
HAS TONIGHT'S TOP STORY.
Bobby Christine/ US Attorney,
Southern District: "millions
and millions in cash,millions
and millions in gold, millions
and millions in diamonds, tens
of thousands of illegal plants
and that was a one day
snapshot in what we believe to
be a decade long conspiracy."
A CONSPIRACY THAT WAS ALL
ABOUT HIDING DRUG MONEY - AND
USING ANOTHER ILLEGAL TRADE TO
DO IT. Aurelia Skipwith/DIR.,
US Fish and wildlife service:
"shark finning is the process
of where a shark is caught,
its fins are cut and its live
body is then thrown
overboard." THE SHARK FINS ARE
DELICACIES IN MANY COUNTRIES -
BUT THE HARVESTING AND KILLING
OF LIVE SHARKS FOR FINS IS
ILLEGAL. THE MEXICAN CARTELS
WOULD TAKE THIS "LEGITIMATE"
PRODUCT AND DO WHAT'S CALLED
'TRADE BASED" MONEY
LAUNDERING. Robert Murphy,
Special agent in charge, DEA
Atlanta division: "you have to
have a product that is
legitimate, that the drug
cartels are looking to use to
purchase whether they are sold
at a discount, or inflated
discount or wrong invoice to
jack up the price so you don't
have to actually transfer
money from country to country.
you can do it on the books and
on legitimate loads." THAT IS
UNTIL US FISH AND WILDLIFE -
ALONG WITH THE D- E-A AND THE
US ATTORNEY'S OFFICE - IN AN
OPERATION THAT STARTED IN
SAVANNAH - ALL UNITED TO TAKE
DOWN AN 18,000 PLANT MARIJUANA
GROW HOUSE IN CALIFORNIA - RUN
IN PART BY THE MEXICAN CARTELS
- WHO WERE FOUND WITH 6 TONS
OF FINS TO HELP LAUNDER THEIR
MONEY. NOW 12 PEOPLE FROM TWO
BUSINESSES - SERENDIPITY
SOLUTIONS AND PHOENIX
FISHERIES - ARE UNDER FEDERAL
INDICTMENT AND THE SHARK FIN -
AND DRUG BUSINESS - ARE SHUT
DOWN - AND LOCAL AND
INTERNATIONAL WATERS -ARE A
LITTLE SAFER. Aurelia
Skipwith: "if we are not
taking actions today to make
sure that we are protecting
it, then its not going to be
here for us to enjoy the
beauty that god has given us."
ANDREW DAVIS WSAV NEWS 3 ON
YOUR SIDE.
THE INVESTIGATION STARTED IN
SAVANNAH BUT THE CRIMES
STRETCHED TO FLORIDA,
CALIFORNIA, HONG KONG, MEXICO
AND CANADA. 40-YEAR-OLD KEVIN
NGUYEN OF TUCKER, GEORGIA IS
ONE OF THE 12 DEFENDANTS. THEY
ALL FACE LIFE IN PRISON FOR
CHARGES INCLUDING MONEY
LAUNDERING AND DISTRIBUTING
AND POSSESSING CONTROLLED
SUBSTANCES.
TWO PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCIES ARE
CALLING FOR A TEMPORARY END TO
EVICTIONS ACROSS THE U-S. THE
MORATORIUM WOULD PROTECT
ELIGIBLE RENTERS FROM EVICTION
THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST.
