Mexico'S "Shoe" Shoemaker Was Prosecuted For Smuggling Rare Fur.

Martin, a famous shoemaker in Mexico, was prosecuted for allegedly laundering money and plotting illegal smuggling of rare animal fur.

The Associated Press reported 23 days ago that he refused to plead guilty and was being held in a prison in Colorado.

The former president Vicente Fox of Mexico is also one of his clients.

He also made a pair of ostrich boots for president George W Bush, and contributed to an important "cowboy summit" in the history of us Mexico relations.

Face heavy penalties

After 3 years of investigation, the US Fish and wildlife administration will eventually arrest Garth and two other Mexicans and two Americans in September 6th of this year, accusing the 5 people of smuggling banned fur from the United States for 25 times since 2005.

If the United States court convicted Esteban Lopez Estrada and another important suspect, they will be fined $250 thousand for joint planning of smuggling and sentenced to 5 years' imprisonment. In addition, each person will be sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment for smuggling and money laundering and a fine of $500 thousand.

He refused to plead guilty during the court hearing in September 11th and is being held in Jefferson prison in Golden, Colorado.

A few days later, the Mexico police searched Lopez's colleague, Mr. Leon, in the shoe factory of Leon, and found 400 pairs of cowboy boots and illegal leather products made from crocodile skin, lizard skin and Cobra skin.

In addition, 150 turtles were found by the police.

The Convention on international trade in endangered species of Wild Fauna and flora prohibits all trafficking of sea turtles.

Glorious past

In fact, he is a "tycoon" of the footwear industry in Mexico, and is also called the "shoe" shoemaker of former president Fawkes of Mexico.

He also made shoes for presidential bodyguards and members of the cabinet of Mexico.

He founded his own brand in Leon, the shoe making capital of Guanajuato, and named it before the president.

However, Bush's ostrich boots are presented to the US president.

In 2001, when President Bush visited Mexico, Fawkes commissioned him to make a pair of ostrich boots for Bush as a gift.

Don't look down on these shoes. It is an important "cowboy summit" in the history of us Mexico relations.

The shoes are blue and decorated with the flag of the two countries, representing the friendship between the two countries.

In an interview with reporters, Villegas said: "these shoes are priceless, we used love to elaborate it, because this is prepared for a special moment."

However, it is regrettable that such a successful shoemaker is suspected of smuggling rare animals' fur.

Marta Saagon, the wife of the former president, told The Associated Press reporters that she and Fawkes knew about the arrest of the pair, but declined to comment.

Profiteering industry

In fact, in the "shoe making capital" Leon, smuggling rare animal fur or leather shoes is nothing new. Some illegal businessmen often commit crimes against the wind and make huge profits.

The Mexico police have handed the captured belts, shoes and fur to the EPA in Guanajuato for safekeeping.

In the Environmental Protection Bureau, the The Associated Press reporter saw more than 200 boxes of shoes stored there, with ostrich and snake patterns on the shoebox indicating that the shoes were made of ostrich skin and snake skin.

The shoe box also marked "export leather boots with high quality" in scarlet letter.

Eloy Uros, director of the Environmental Protection Bureau, said: "these are smuggled to the United States to sell at a high price, and they can be identified from workmanship."

The US Department of Justice said that a pair of turtle skin boots could sell for 70 dollars in the black market of Mexico, but if smuggled into the United States, the price would soar to $500. Besides, a turtle shell sold for $9 in Mexico could sell for 80 dollars in the US.

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