An Oahu man faces
federal charges after he
allegedly ran an illegal aquarium fish smuggling
operation with non-native, endangered species and protected Hawaii reef fish for sale starting at $300 each.
Shane Takasane “engaged in the illicit trade of marine fishes of Hawaii that are sold illegally in other states,”
according to an affidavit
authored by a special agent with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Office of Law Enforcement.
Takasane also allegedly smuggled a non-native fish, “called Snakehead fish,” into the United States, in violation of federal law, for illegal resale in Hawaii.
“It is unlawful for any person to import, export, transport, sell, receive, acquire, or purchase in interstate or foreign commerce any fish or wildlife taken, possessed, transported, or sold in violation of any law or regulation of any State or foreign law,” according to the federal
statute cited in the criminal complaint.
Takasane made his initial appearance in U.S. District Court on Thursday. He
is free on an unsecured $25,000 bond ahead of a
preliminary hearing Feb. 6 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Wes Reber Porter.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Albanese is prosecuting the case. Takasane is represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender
Jacquelyn T. Esser.
“The illegal trade of Hawaii marine fish species is a significant factor in the decline in the number of individual fish that reside in Hawaii’s reefs,” wrote the federal agent.
The federal probe focused on the Hawaii yellow tang (Zebrasoma flavescens) and the Hawaii kole tang (Ctenochaetus strigosus), which are illegal to catch and sell for commercial purposes.
The kole tang is a reef fish like the yellow tang but brown and blue in color.
Hawaii suspended aquarium permits for the fish on Sept. 6, 2017, and it is “not possible to obtain a commercial marine license for these fishes” and it is against the law to catch them and sell them to collectors.
Takasane also allegedly smuggled the non-native snakehead fish (Channa andrao, Channa marulioides and Channa bleheri) — considered “injurious wildlife” under federal law — into the U.S. to sell in Hawaii.
Between June and August 2023, Takasane allegedly shipped four packages from Honolulu to the mainland that “contained Hawaii Yellow tang and the Hawaii Kole tang.”
Federal prosecutors allege that from July 2023 to April, Takasane received four packages from Indonesia containing snakeheads. The packages were declared to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, but the snakeheads were “falsely
labeled as another fish
species, and thus, not
identified.”
In June, Takasane allegedly got a package of Asian arowanas, an endangered species in the U.S., from Thailand, allegedly evading scrutiny from CBP by declaring the package held Australian arowanas, which are not endangered.
On Aug. 16, 2023, USFWS got a tip that Facebook account Ocean Garden Reefs was advertising Hawaii
yellow tangs and Hawaii kole tangs for sale.
A source told federal agents that the Facebook group “MD/DE/NJ/PA/VA Saltwater &Reef Aquarium Keepers” had a user selling the fish.
On June 28, 2023, Facebook account OGR posted
a picture of one Hawaii kole tang with the caption “Hawaii Kole tang / Get this hard to get fish to your aquarium/Limited quantity/$350 each.”
On July 29, 2023, the same account posted a picture of four Hawaii yellow tangs with the caption, “Conditioned Hawaiian yellow tang /
2-3 inches 300 / 4-5 inches 399 / Take additional 15% if you share and follow us here and IG. / Shipping is not included. If you get a school, dm for special deal. Serious inquires only.”
On June 23, 2023, authorities say, Takasane sold 20 Hawaii yellow tangs and three Hawaii kole tangs for $1,975. The purchaser, Duke Nguyen of Maryland, paid via PayPal.
Four days later, on June 27, 2023, Nguyen allegedly messaged Takasane, “Fish arrived but 1 or 2 died, Cuz bag is on top of bag, The Kole died.”
On July 18, 2023, Takasane allegedly sold Nguyen 16 Hawaii yellow tangs and three Hawaii kole tangs for $690.
Nguyen allegedly messaged Takasane on July 28, 2023, saying, “I want 30 yellow 20 kole tang.”
Takasane allegedly replied, “Kole harder to get than yellow, They hide in coral.”
“The buyer want 2 inches,” Nguyen responded.
Nguyen then asked Takasane to fill two orders: one for 30 yellow and 20 kole, and another for 10-15 yellow and five kole.
Takasane allegedly told Nguyen, “We only gonna ship 20 at a time bro. Just let you guys know, Cannot ship too many at a time in case we are caught.”
“Based on my training and experience, these messages between Takasane and Nguyen reveal that Takasane knew that selling and shipping the Hawaii Yellow tang and Hawaii Kole tang from Hawaii to Maryland was illegal,” wrote the USFWS agent.
In March, Takasane allegedly bought about 20 snakehead fish from a dealer in Indonesia.
The Indonesian dealer labeled the fish correctly on the invoice, but Takasane allegedly altered the invoice before Customs reviewed it so inspectors would read that he bought 20 rock gobies (Sicyopterus japonicus), which are permitted in the U.S.
In June, Takasane allegedly bought 14 Asian arowanas and one Australian arowana from a dealer in Thailand.
“USFWS contacted Takasane to inquire about the fish. Takasane denied intending to import Asian Arowana, and stated instead that he intended to order only Australian Arowana,” wrote the USFWS agent. “Takasane further agreed to abandon the fish and signed paperwork to that effect. Based on my training and experience, it is unlikely that a company would provide Asian Arowana when only Australian Arowana were ordered because Asian Arowanas are much more valuable on the open market, and a seller would not typically substitute a more valuable fish for a less valuable fish without higher payment.”
