An Australian mineral dealer, who pleaded guilty to smuggling fossilised dinosaur eggs
from China to the United States, flies home tonight. Tamas “Thomas” Kapitany, 45, will spend a year on criminal probation and was fined $27,175 in a plea bargain made to avoid trial, US authorities say.
“These prehistoric treasures rightfully belong to China and the Chinese people,” said David Nehls, assistant special agent in charge of ICE investigations at Los Angeles International Airport.
Starting as far back as 1999, Kapitany sneaked eggs, which are deemed protected relics under Chinese law, from eastern China to California by labelling them minerals or geological specimens, prosecutors said.
Rock on!
Smuggling fossils seems like a pretty hard job. I know, that is so old.
But I guess the Chinese have a bone to pick with him.
I shouldn’t be egging him on.
Darn, I better quit.
Good have given y’all an “Easter Egg” from, say, Microsoft? But, that would have been a bit complex.
Tee-hee.
He was lucky he wasn’t caught on the Chinese side. I seriously doubt he will ever be attempting a future entry into China either.
I would have understood it if it were some geeks collecting fossils but some half brain dead idiots who just get them because it looks good on their houses/mansions?
It’s the same problem with the thieving of ancient mayan relics, they belong to the world but some A-hole thinks it belongs to them just because they’re rich…
(Angel didn’t any Easter Eggs this year)
The eggs belong to the dead dinosaurs, and should they ever return they’re gonna be pissed.
How do ancient Mayan relics belong to the world? I would say maybe you could make a claim if you were a decendant of that civilization, but some guy in Germany really doesn’t have a legitimate complaint if he can’t go and look as some old Mayan pots in a museum somewhere.
Mr. Fusion:
I’m the type who searches for them :D)
Soo…technically… aren’t fossilized dinosaur eggs really “geological specimens”? I mean they technically *are* rock…