Economic Meltdown (seconda parte)

[Zenda]

Arias was licensed to collect and grow CITES species by Peru, just not licensed to export them to the US.

No, Arias could ship as many CULTIVATED slipper orchids to the US, as he and Norris wanted (because CULTIVATED plants never fall under CITES regulations). But they didn't want to wait the years needed to grow those plants, because black market prices would fall once CULTIVATED plants became available.

As for your supposed 'legalization' of Phragmipedium Peruvianum: it never happened. Reread your own Wiki-quote and see it's about the commercial availability of CULTIVATED plants. All Phragmipedium species have always been, and still are, protected by CITES (as category I, the highest).

it's quite easy to convict a person if you want to convict them. Just put them under oath, and get them to talk for many hours, then investigate every little thing they say until you find a prevarication or exaggeration.

So it's not just the government, but also the whole justice system that's out to get you? I don't envy you

Yeah, I like to do heavy lifting in full battle Kevlar, and wielding an M16

In Norris' case, there were 6 officials with only side-arms. None had M16 rifles. According to yourself, US citizens have been carrying guns for 200 years, so why shouldn't US officials do the same?

There are worse offenders

You are right on that one, and I'm prepared to leave it at that. After all, we're not talking about someone like Warren Jeffs here.