5 Hunters Sentenced For Illegal Zombie Trophy Smuggling

Posted July 3rd, 2013
By: ZombieWorldNews (AP) 

Marseille, France, — 3 Idaho men, and 2 French women pleaded guilty Wednesday to making a false statement to the French Fish and Wildlife Service in an attempt to illegally import a collection of zombie hides and skulls from a trophy hunt in South Africa, the European Justice Department announced.

Barry Thursdan (38). Dale Griffind (24) and Richard Wincho (54) of Coure D'Alane, Idaho pleaded guilty in Marseille to a violation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, which is enforceable under the 'Universal code of conduct' Act and the Lacey Act, officials said.

Each were ordered to pay the equivellent of $25,000 fine to the European commission. They will forfeit the 11 hides and skulls discovered and additionally are sentenced to 48 months detention in a prison of their home country.

According to the facts in the plea agreement, all 3 men and two French women, Chentelle Gainiuerre (27) and Yvette Benouche) (32), went to South Africa in August 2012 to hunt zombies while guided by South African Stewart Gracer, the men shot and killed 11 undeads, even though neither the guide nor any member of the party possessed a valid international zombie hunting permit.

Because the undead were killed illegally, the party could not obtain a valid export permit in South Africa. In order to import undead hides and skulls into France, they bought fraudulent permits in Zimbabwe and then provided false information to customs officials.

The 'Universal code of conduct', established by The World Health Authority, in 2007, states that '

• The use of a re animator for sport, entertainment, sale or financial gain is against the law.

• The sale of a re animator or 'Trophy' parts thereof is against the law.

According to IFAW, the illegal undead trophy trade is worth around $11 billion a year.

Gariel De Duai, IFAW's Asia Regional Director, said online auctions of reanimates or reanimate products is on the rise. Some online auctioneers like eBay for example have banned the sale of undead trophies on their site, but smugglers are finding more methods to trade all the time.

"The routes are changing. Alternatives to land routes are being used and big international hubs are used less because of increased customs presence," she said.