McAllen man arrested for allegedly smuggling turtle skins
McALLEN — A McAllen man was arrested Thursday for his alleged role in an international ring that illegally traded exotic animal skins, including those of endangered sea turtles.
Authorities say McAllen resident Oscar Cueva acted as an intermediary between Mexican animal skin traders and America buyers, charging “crossing fees” for illegally smuggling the skins into America.
Cueva and the others were busted after brokering deals between Mexican dealers and undercover U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agents in Colorado posing as buyers, according to a federal indictment filed in Colorado last month. He and his co-defendants face smuggling, money laundering and conspiracy charges.
According to an indictment, the Mexican businesses would ship the skins to an office that Cueva had in Reynosa, and he would then drive the products across the border to his McAllen home without declaring them or filing the necessary paperwork. From McAllen, he would ship the skins to buyers or arrange their pick up, according to the indictment.
The investigation of the animal skin traders has been going on for more than two years. It also involved the U.S. Department of Justice and Mexican law enforcement, according to a press release.
Jorge Caraveo of El Paso and Carlos Leal Barragan, Esteban Lopez Estrada and Martin Villegas Terrones of Mexico were also arrested for their alleged roles in the exotic animal skin trading. Three others have been named in the indictment.
The traders are accused of smuggling 25 separate shipments of skins and animal products between Mexican and the United States since 2005. The shipments included more than 700 skins from sea turtles, caimans and pythons, among other animals, and more than 100 products such as boots, belts and wallets made from animal skins.
An international treaty called CITES prohibits the commercial trade of sea turtle parts and products and restricts the trade of other species involved in this case.
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Ryan Holeywell covers PSJA and general assignments for The Monitor. He can be reached at (956) 683-4446. For this and more local stories, visit www.themonitor.com.
