Sarmad Ghaled Dafar, a Houston resident, received a prison sentence in federal court for his involvement in baby Mexican spider monkey trafficking. He was sentenced to four months in custody and an additional 180 days of home confinement. A restitution order demands he pay $23,501.70, the cost of quarantining three monkeys at the San Diego Zoo.
As stated in his plea agreement, Dafar organized the procurement and border smuggling of the baby monkeys, receiving them in the U.S. for planned sales in June 2022 and August 2023.
The trafficking operation came to light on August 14, 2023, when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service intercepted three monkeys at the Calexico West Port of Entry. Evidence linked the smuggling to Dafar, revealing previous instances involving other monkeys in June 2022 and July 2023, whose whereabouts remain unknown.
Commenting on the impact, U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon remarked, "This crime ripped weeks-old baby monkeys from their mothers, disrupted fragile ecosystems, endangered a vulnerable species, and posed significant public health risks. This is not merely an economic crime; it is a severe and lasting injury to both wildlife and public safety. Border security is not just about interdicting drugs and preventing illegal entries. It also involves protecting the public from dangerous diseases. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service contributes to securing our borders and keeping the public safe."
Dafar is required to surrender by May 29, 2025.
The infant monkeys, loyal to their mothers for several years, had been deliberately sought by Dafar through Facebook to simplify smuggling. In his message exchanges, Dafar suggested seeking babies because they are quieter and easier to hide. He shared images and stated the baby monkeys' value was significantly underpriced.
Government documents suggest Dafar's understanding that the baby monkeys were prematurely separated from their mothers. According to U.S. Fish and Wildlife agents' testimonies, capturing these monkeys typically involves disabling the mother and troop, owing to their protective instincts.
The monkeys that entered the U.S. in 2023 were quarantined to prevent zoonotic disease spread. Quarantine and care for the confiscated monkeys, Chrissy, Jack, and Janet, were facilitated at the San Diego Zoo. They were later housed at the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago.
“This case was prosecuted by Sabrina L. Fève and Robert J. Miller,” and involved the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as the investigating agency. Dafar's case (No. 24CR0615) cited charges of conspiracy, with a potential maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.