Shark fins seized at California border
Alleged Shark Fin Smuggler Caught at the Border
By KTLA News22. December 2011
SAN YSIDRO, Calif. (KTLA) — A Mexican woman was caught allegedly attempting to smuggle shark fins into California at the San Ysidro border crossing.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Thursday that the woman was caught with 29 pounds of shark fins. Importation of shark fins is illegal under both federal and state law.
Shark fin soup is considered a delicacy by the Chinese, and the fins can fetch more than $2,000 a pound from markets that cater to Chinese communities.
The 54-year-old woman was cited Wednesday and her visa was confiscated before she was deported to Mexico.
The shark fins were seized by agents of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Source: KTLA News.
Photo: U.S. Customs and Border Protection.