A Texas man who smuggled endangered baby spider monkeys across the border faces prison time after trying to sell the rare animals on Facebook for $8,000 each.
At a Glance
- Sarmad Ghaled Dafar was sentenced to four months in prison plus six months home confinement for smuggling six baby spider monkeys from Mexico
- He attempted to sell the endangered primates on Facebook for $8,000 each, well below their typical $15,000 market value
- Only three of the six monkeys were recovered and quarantined at the San Diego Zoo before being moved to Chicago
- Dafar must pay $23,501.70 in restitution for the costs of quarantining the recovered animals
- Spider monkeys are among the 25 most threatened primates globally, with mothers often killed by poachers to capture their babies
Border Smuggling Operation Uncovered
Sarmad Ghaled Dafar, 33, coordinated the purchase and smuggling of endangered spider monkeys across the U.S.-Mexico border on three separate occasions between June 2022 and August 2023. His illegal wildlife trafficking operation was discovered when U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials stopped one of his co-conspirators at the border. Further investigation revealed messages from Dafar organizing the smuggling of at least six baby monkeys, which he then attempted to sell through Facebook marketplace.
In Facebook messages uncovered by investigators, Dafar told potential buyers that smuggling baby monkeys was easier than adults because they made less noise during transport. He advertised the rare primates by sharing photos of the baby monkeys dressed in diapers, placed under heat lamps, and surrounded by stuffed animals – clear signs they had been prematurely separated from their mothers. The young age of the animals indicated the violent nature of their capture, as spider monkeys do not voluntarily give up their offspring.
Digital Marketing of Endangered Species
Dafar’s operation blended traditional smuggling tactics with modern digital marketing. He openly advertised the protected animals on social media, telling one potential customer: “I have monkey coming in 2 week baby monkey…Is a spider monkey… [I’ll] let you know when it is here because they gonna send it to me from California. Is a spider monkey thos[e] kind go[e]s for 15k and up but I ask 8k.”
“This crime ripped weeks-old baby monkeys from their mothers, disrupted fragile ecosystems, endangered a vulnerable species, and posed significant public health risks.” – US Attorney Adam Gordon.
After pleading guilty to a conspiracy charge, Dafar was sentenced to four months in prison followed by six months of home confinement. The judge also ordered him to pay $23,501.70 in restitution to cover the costs of quarantining the recovered animals at the San Diego Zoo. The decision highlights the serious consequences of wildlife trafficking and the government’s commitment to protecting endangered species from exploitation.
Missing Monkeys and Public Health Concerns
While three of the smuggled monkeys were recovered and properly quarantined at the San Diego Zoo before being transferred to the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago, the fate of the other three monkeys remains unknown. This raises significant concerns not only for the welfare of these endangered animals but also for public health. According to authorities, at least three of the smuggled monkeys were not quarantined, violating laws designed to prevent the spread of diseases from exotic animals to humans.
Animal experts testified that the capture of baby spider monkeys is particularly brutal, as poachers typically kill or incapacitate the mothers to take their infants. This practice further endangers spider monkeys, which are already among the 25 most threatened primates globally. The illegal wildlife trade continues to push these animals closer to extinction, despite international protections and law enforcement efforts to curb smuggling operations like Dafar’s.
