Arrr, the scallywag of a collector in New York be facin' the brig for smugglin' rare flutterin' beauties!
2024-02-28
Avast ye mateys, a scallywag named Charles Limmer from Long Island hath confessed to smuggling precious bugs like birdwing butterflies in exchange for leniency in the court of Brooklyn. 'Tis a tale that shall be sung in taverns for ages to come!
A scallywag from Long Island, Charles Limmer, aged 75, has admitted to his crimes of illegally trafficking birdwing butterflies and other rare insects. The scoundrel pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to smuggle wildlife into the country, and now faces a penalty of $30,215 along with surrendering his collection of approximately 1,000 butterflies, moths, and other insects. If the bilge rat is sentenced, he may spend up to 5 years in the brig.The dried specimens he was peddling included the birdwing butterflies, known for being among the rarest and largest in all the seven seas. The scallywag was caught red-handed last year on six counts of wildlife smuggling, violating the Lacey Act's rules on falsely labeling and trafficking in wildlife. His shady dealings involved disguising the goods as "decorative wall coverings" and "origami paper craft," and he even managed to make a pretty penny selling them on eBay under the pseudonym "limmerleps."The landlubber was working with unsavory characters abroad to smuggle over 1,000 lepidoptera, including some of the most endangered moths and butterflies. Despite his import/export license being cut off in Oct. 2022, the scallywag continued his illegal activities. It be against federal law to engage in the commercial export or import of wildlife without proper authorization from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The scallywag's mouthpiece didn't have much to say on the matter.