READING, MASS. (WHDH) - A Reading man is accused of buying and selling skulls and skins from more than 100 protected animal species, according to the US Attorney’s office.
Adam Bied, 39, was charged with buying nearly 115 animal parts, many from animals on the US endangered species list, the US Attorney said.
According to court filings, Bied worked with sellers in Indonesia and Cameroon to buy skulls, skeletons, and pelts of species including elephants and jaguars.
The US Attorney’s office said the operation was uncovered in March 2021 when a package of skulls was X-rayed at a post office in Kentucky. The skulls were hidden inside decorative masks.
Investigators marked them with invisible black light ink so they could track the skulls back to Bied’s home. The FBI later searched his home, along with a storage unit Bied also owned.
Ultimately, investigators said they found parts of nearly 70 different types of animals, which the Department of Justice is attempting to seize.
“This forfeiture action sends a clear message that we will not only prosecute those who engage in illegal wildlife trafficking, but also take legal actions to strip them of their ill-gotten gains,” Acting US Attorney Joshua S. Levy said in a statement.
Bied is charged with conspiracy to smuggle goods into the United States and three counts of violating the Lacey Act, which prohibits trafficking in wildlife.
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