BANGOR, Maine (AP) — A New Jersey man accused of smuggling narwhal tusks into the United States was convicted Friday of federal crimes, several of which carry a penalty of up to 20 years in prison.
A federal jury in Maine convicted Andrew Zarauskas of Union, N.J., on six counts, including conspiracy, smuggling and money laundering for his role in a smuggling ring, prosecutors said. He was released on $25,000 unsecured bond while awaiting sentencing.
Narwhals, which are medium-sized whales native to Arctic waters, are known as the unicorns of the sea for their spiral tusks that can grow longer than 8 feet. They are protected by the U.S. and Canada.
The tusks can sell for thousands of dollars, but it's illegal to import them into the U.S. In Canada, Inuit hunters are the only ones allowed to harvest the animals for their meat, skin and tusks.
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