The Colombian accused of smuggling with the skin of protected animals

The Colombian Nancy González is one of the most recognized designers of leather handbags in Latin America. However, she has been involved in a scandal that could end in her extradition to the US, accused of conspiracy and smuggling charges for illegally introducing her bags into US territory.

A court in the southern district of Florida accuses González of violating the Convention for International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), after having introduced into the US about 100 leather bags reptile between February 2016 and April 2019.

González was arrested on Friday, July 8 during a raid on her residence in Cali, along with her employees Diego Rodríguez Giraldo and Jhon Camilo Aguilar.

“The international requirement indicates that these people made wallets, bags and various products with the skins of babillas, alligators, snakes, among other wild species,” the Colombian Prosecutor’s Office reported in a statement.

The US authorities claim that González smuggled articles of skin from protected animals, without obtaining the certificate required for the importation of this type of product into the US.

The crimes that González is accused of can be punished with sentences of up to 25 years in prison, plus a fine of half a million dollars.

The Colombian Prosecutor’s Office detailed that González and his workers allegedly “contacted citizens in Valle del Cauca and, apparently, convinced them to travel to the United States to take the items.”

The designer allegedly paid the plane ticket and US$600 in cash to each passenger who transported bags from Colombia on commercial flights to the US, and instructed them to declare them as items for personal use or gifts for relatives.

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The bags designed by González cost thousands of dollars and are sold in prestigious fashion stores such as Bergdoff Goodman in New York, Harrods in London, and Galeries Lafayette in Paris. Therefore, the capture of the designer created a stir in Colombia.

His pieces are displayed alongside brands such as Chanel, Hermes and Louis Vuitton.

The final destination of the products was “luxury stores and internationally recognized exhibitions such as New York Fashion Week,” the Prosecutor’s Office detailed.

American actress Merly Streep wore one of her models in the acclaimed film The Devil Wears Prada, and one of her bags is on display at the Metropolitan Museum in New York, as a showcase of contemporary design.

However, the 25th municipal criminal court for the control of guarantees in Cali declared that the raid in which González was arrested was illegal.

In a private hearing, the judge of the instance would have indicated that the detention was carried out outside the term stipulated by law to carry out the search.

The defense attorney for one of the designer’s employees alleges that, due to this irregularity, the three should be released.

He assured that he will present a writ of habeas corpus before the Colombian Supreme Court of Justice to guarantee that the rights of his client, Jhon Camilo Aguilar, are respected.

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