VOA常速英语2017--全球贩卖濒危野生动物行径猖獗（在线收听）

The U.S. continues to prosecute endangered species traffickers. Michael Hegarty, an Irish national, was sentenced in federal court in Miami, Florida, on November 14th to 18 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release for fraudulently facilitating the transportation and concealment of a libation cup carved from the horn of an endangered rhinoceros.

美国依然在将贩卖濒危物种的人绳之以法。11月14日，爱尔兰的迈克尔 赫加蒂(Michael Hegarty)被佛州迈阿密联邦法院判处18个月的刑期。刑满后将有为期3年的监外看管，因为迈克尔以欺骗的手段助力运送并藏匿一个祭奠酒杯，这个酒杯是从一种濒危的犀牛角上割下来的。

Hegarty's sentencing is the result of the strong partnership between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Justice Department to investigate and prosecute those who engage in illegal trade in protected wildlife, said Jeffrey Wood, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the Department of Justice .

赫加蒂的判决是美国野生动物署与司法部强力合作的结果，他们一起调查检举那些参与受保护野生动物非法贸易的人，司法部环境与自然资源分部的代理助理法官杰弗里 伍德(Jeffrey Wood)如是说道。

There is a frequent connection between wildlife smuggling and organized criminal activity. We remain committed to combatting this illegality.

野生动物走私与有组织犯罪活动之间存在频繁的联系。我们始终致力于打击这种非法活动。

Hegarty's arrest and subsequent extradition were part of “Operation Crash,” a U.S. crack-down on criminal trafficking in rhinoceros horns.

赫加蒂的逮捕和随后的引渡是“捣毁行动”的一部分，该行动是美国对非法贩卖犀牛角的一次打击行动。

Hegarty's eighteen-month sentence was the high end of the sentencing range for his crime.

赫加蒂18个月的刑期是赫加蒂罪行的最高年限了。

Operation Crash was conducted by the Department of the Interior's Fish and Wildlife Service, in coordination with other federal and local law enforcement agencies including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations. Office of International Affairs of the Department of Justice played an important role the extradition procedures. A “crash” is the term for a herd of rhinoceros. Operation Crash was an effort to detect, deter and prosecute those engaged in the illegal killing of rhinoceros and the unlawful trafficking of rhinoceros horns.

捣毁行动由美国内政部的野生动物署与其他联邦和当地的执法机构（如移民和海关执法局的国土安全调查局）通力完成。司法部的国际事务办公室在引渡流程中扮演着重要的角色。“捣毁”这个字眼是为犀牛而起的。捣毁行动旨在发现、阻止、惩治那些非法杀害犀牛以及非法贩卖犀牛角的人。

The sentencing of Michael Hegarty sends a message to those who profit from the slaughter and illicit trade of wildlife, you will be caught and prosecuted no matter where you hide, said Ed Grace, Acting Chief of Law Enforcement for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. I commend our special agents who connected this defendant to the Rathkeale Rovers, a transnational organized crime syndicate responsible for trafficking endangered rhinoceros products worldwide. Thank you to our international counterparts and to the U.S. Department of Justice for arresting, extraditing, and prosecuting this individual.

赫加蒂的处决向那些以屠杀并非法贩卖野生动物盈利的人发出了一个讯息：无论你藏身于何处，都难逃被捕和惩治的命运，美国野生动物署代理执法负责人艾德 格蕾丝(Ed Grace)如是说道。这里我要赞扬我们的特工，他们发现拉库奇尔流浪者(Rathkeale Rovers)这个跨国有组织团伙是在全球范围内贩卖濒危犀牛角的罪魁祸首。同样也要感谢我们的国际合作伙伴以及美国司法部逮捕、引渡并惩处迈克尔。