Illegal fishing, carving, and selling of marine products continue to be a lucrative business in the Philippines, unfortunately.
Officers of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) have arrested 10 people allegedly involved in illegal wildlife trade, which led to the recovery of endangered clams and alleged giant pearls worth nearly USD2 million.
The suspects offered pearls weighing as much as 30 kilos, priced at PHP150,000 per kilo .
According to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, NBI officers started planning the entrapment operation in December after hearing about people from Tarlac who were looking for buyers of pearls and giant clams.
After negotiations, the suspects agreed to sell the giant pearls and clams for a total of PHP97M. The undercover agents met with suspects for the transaction at Kalaw, Manila on Mon, Mar 14.
In a report by ABS-CBN News, the suspects claimed that they did not know that they were violating the law. The pearls and clams were from Surigao, Palawan, and Mindoro.
The suspects will be charged with a violation of the fisheries code. They could face up to 8 years in prison.
