Outraged!!!
 

Hey Gang,...get this. One of our LFS owners (SWC) has been convicted of illegal smuggling of corals, inverts, and LR.


http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/loc...135339543.html

This person is unfortunately one of the sponsors of our local forum and we are trying to have him removed.

We tried posting our opinions on our local forum but as usual the monkeys that run it shut down any conversation that isn't about kittens and sunshine. One of the other members there actually had the nerve to say that we shouldn't pass judgement because everyone breaks the law a little?!? As if going 5 miles over the speed limit compares to raping the environment. I would never say that I am a perfect law abiding citizen, but if I get caught speeding, I pay the ticket.

As far as I'm concerned they should throw the book at him. Maybe a $1M fine and a couple years in jail will teach him a lesson. If we tolerate operators like him it will eventually destroy the hobby.

This is old news. This happened in 2007. He basically didn't get his CITES permits in place for import which is then considered smuggling. I see he was finally convicted...that took forever.

He was caught in 2007. He was convicted last week. He will be sentenced later this year.

My main objection is that he is allowed to stay in business.

not surprising......have heard of others

Heh, yep.

I really should quit suggesting that people buy SWC skimmers though. I feel torn. They are a good skimmer for the price, and I like people to be able to afford their hobby and still have success, but then I don't like it when people operate illegally because it damages our hobby. Now that he has actually been convicted I just decided...no more SWC compliments from me.

I've heard of it before too. Just never with a local store

Wooowww, real good excuse on that one! Seems totally logical to import 20000lbs of rock from across the world when you live next to a burnco... DERPPPPP.

I know,...how stupid does he think people are?

Thanks for this posting, I HATE smugglers :twised: I was thinking of buying a used/new SCW skimmer, but now this one is definetely is off my list.

How did I miss this?!

And this is the same guy that was told to stop selling his stolen aiptasia zapper idea? Ouch.

Boy don't I feel quilty now, I have a zapper & a skimmer from SWS :redface:

:mrgreen::mrgreen::mrgreen:

for shame Greg.....you enabler you:razz::mrgreen:

Honestly if I had any idea of this I would not have purchased either of them.

Smalltime. I want some of his fencing!

:noidea:

His 20,000 lb 'fence' made of liverock and rare corals?

Keep up Greg c'mon!

Wow!

Michael Rice
Marine Engineers Aquarium Blog
Sent from Tapatalk so excuse my poor English

Oh man, I just can't keep up with some of the goings on, maybe Brett you need to e-mail the days highlights of the SW world daily so I can be in the know :wink:

There ya go bro =) Post #1 :mrgreen:

Gee thanks. :razz:

Well I feel really bad, torn and conflicted myself. I used to think of Jayson as a great mentor and friend in my early days in this hobby. Much I want to say here but will limit what I will say because of the public nature of forums.

I wish Jayson all the best luck going forward ... it sounds like he will need it. :(

Publicity like this is a huge black eye to the hobby. Never mind eventually destroy it ... the damage is well underway and there are times I fear the writing is on the wall. The next ten years will be nothing like the previous ten years. Realistically this is only one nail in the coffin, there is so much more at play as well.

considering how easy it is to get CITES permits, had to believe it is worth the risk...greedy

Now I know why he was so grumpy when I contacted him in regards to having something covered under warranty. He gave me the worst customer service I've ever experienced and didn't help me at all.

I know what you mean. I had pump issues and he was being very vague and unhelpful which surprised me because a couple of years ago he gave great customer service. However I now understand why.

I think he was trying to bypass the much more involved CITIES permit :neutral:

Probably more like trying to avoid the cost of the cities.

I had no idea that this was still ongoing. I knew about it in 2007 when he was charged, but never heard anything afterwards so I actually thought the charges were dropped. I can't believe it took so long to get a conviction.

Grizz...I'm also glaring at my two SWC skimmers now. Too bad I can't afford to replace them right now or I would smash them. :twised: If anyone wants to donate to replace my SWC 180 cone I will happily smash it. Maybe Mike could help me get an AK to shoot it with! Oh, or maybe a bazooka! BOY would that be fun!

Okay he did what he did. But if he was selling the stuff for a bit cheaper, I wonder how many of us would have bought it and happily put it in our tanks.

I can understand being offended with what he's done, smashing anything with SWC on the side a bit much.

I am all about good deals in what can be a pricey hobby,....but I would never knowingly buy from someone like him.

Why? It's not likely there is going to be any customer service or warranty on them anymore. :lol:

Smashing what he's already received payment for (and what you paid for) proves nothing. You're just wasting your own money. I guess if it makes you feel better, but I've never felt great after throwing several hundred dollars in the trash can for no good reason.

I don't think anyone is really going to buy a bazooka and shoot their skimmer.
I'm pretty sure they are just voicing their disapproval :)

I had suggested the Aquarium Society, which runs the WFF now, issue a public statement (i.e. to the media) decrying the actions of the Fish Forum member (and that should be corrected immediately IMO) and noting that responsible hobbyists are disgusted by this sort of thing.
He didn't just import plants without a permit-- he imported endangered species for which you cannot get a permit.. and in sufficient volume that you have to know he was not just selling it locally through his little shop. And more than once. He was convicted on 18 counts, so I think it must not have been just the 2007 incident. They went his files and found evidence of many more such imports.
This would have been an opportunity for the Winnipeg aquarist community to distance itself from this guy and to provide a little bit of education to the public about how to have a tank that does not rape the environment.
I don't know what's going to happen with that suggestion.
But at the very least, I do hope Winnipeg hobbyists put him out of business by drying up his customer base. Thing is, how do you dry up his online business?

Probably almost every single one of us! Knowing it was obtained illegally would drop a few out...If all he needed was a permit what would the advantage be to him not to get one? are they overly expensive? would he be not allowed to import as much? just curious because I have no idea what would have driven him to take such a risk?

I hate to say it but again we all sit here as "holier than thou" and condemn him as we sit and admire our pretty tanks. If it was as simple as "paying" the government for a permit this guy is guilty of being an idiot BUT we would have been enjoying the rock as we speak if he did. But no he didn't go through the proper channels and now the sentence of this forum would be to stone him, drive him out of business, black list his name and products and feel much better for it.. as we walk back to have another look at our pretty little tanks....

Oh ya Myka the AK what one do you want
AK 47
AK 74
C-7 semi auto
C-6- medium full auto
C-9 light auto
C-3 sniper rifle
C-8 with the heavy barrel retrackable stock
M-72
84MM
Eryx
TOW missle:lol:


I think if you read this and look who its coming from, MYka AKA Mindy is playing around Come on she isnt going to smash her skimmers. she is joking. On another thought thou I have known Jayson since 2001 when I first got into the SALT WATER hobby. He is a great guy at first meeting him I told him in his hous. I know nothing what do I need should I buy this and this and this. NO Mike its not going to work you are wasting your money. what ABOut Lighting I want to grow this stuff I think. Jayson would take me over to his tan kand state this and that. OK. got it. NOw that Jayson is well under his way. Getting Cities really isnt a huge hassel. and I have been in his store when he receives massive shipments I mean Massive shipments. and this guy is well organize he has this and that. Im not defending him or anything what he does is his bussiness but seeing what he makes and what he sells if pretty decent. But to bring in 20,000 lbs of Rock and try to hide it on a well known flight that carriers that stuff in, not only to leave a 3rd world country ,but stop in the USA and switch flight and a load list thatis checked by customs, and then flies in to Canada to be stopped and then where is the Cities. where is the first Point of contact to check the paper work.

U can't assume that that type of paper work isn't going to be checked that is crazy. I have also heard that the cities thathe was suppose to have was infact done and the right weights of rock was too. it was for the wrong date. either way the guy had all the paper work in tact. wrong date come one that comes from the other end not here. But who has actually met Jayson in person. other then just talking to him on the phone.

Well, I've been to the store a few times and he was never friendly. Never offered assistance in the store. When I asked questions I got terse, 1 word answers, like he couldn't be bothered.

And the problem wasn't that he just didn't get permits or that they were for the wrong date. He brought in 20,000 lbs of rock that you cannot get permits for. And seahorses, and clams.....were they for his fence too?!?
It's all BS. He tried to cheat and he got caught. I'm sure there are lots of guys in prison who are really great guys once you get to know them.
Hahaha, get real.

hmmmm was that last statement Get real for them or was that for me.:question:

It was really directed at a few things.

His whole BS story about the rock being for a fence. Your comments about him being nice and helpful in person. It's just a joke. I'm not saying he wasn't nice to you but that doesn't mitigate his actions.