In 2012, a surge in global eel prices sparked an unexpected crime wave across the East Coast of the United States. Eel, especially the juvenile "glass eels," became a high-value commodity - selling for up to $1,900 per pound - due to declining populations and increasing demand, particularly in East Asian markets. The delicacy known as unagi in Japanese cuisine turned into a symbol of global culinary luxury, while simultaneously fuelling a sprawling black market that invited poachers, smugglers, and organized criminals into the world of aquatic trafficking.

The U.S. government, in response, launched a multifaceted crackdown dubbed "Operation Broken Glass" - a sting operation led by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to target illegal eel trade and poaching. This operation would later expose a criminal network of seafood dealers, fishermen, and smugglers profiting from the illicit trade of baby eels, whose translucent bodies made them nearly invisible yet incredibly valuable.
 
The Rise of the Black Market:
Glass eels, also known as elvers, are small, transparent, and highly migratory juvenile eels that swim upstream from the Atlantic to freshwater rivers along the U.S. East Coast. Their rarity and high demand in global cuisine, especially in Japan and China, made them a hot commodity. By 2012, natural populations were dwindling due to overfishing, pollution, and habitat destruction. This led to restrictions on the export of eels from both Europe and the U.S.

However, these regulations only inflated the market further. With legal trade limited and international demand skyrocketing, the eel market went underground. Turf wars erupted among local fishermen. Poachers scoured Maine's coastal waters - one of the few legal harvesting zones for elvers - often trespassing on others' licenses and territories. Fights broke out, theft increased, and what had once been a niche industry transformed into a battleground.
 
The Case of Alan Perkins:
In 2013, the illegal eel trade took a dark turn with the case of Alan Perkins, an eel poacher in Maine. Driven by the potential for huge profits, Perkins broke into a seafood business and attempted to steal a five-gallon bucket of eels - worth an estimated $10,000. He was apprehended a month later and charged with burglary, theft, and violating terms of his prior release. The judge, recognizing the organized nature of his crime and its implications for endangered species, sentenced him to seven years in prison.

Perkins' case was just the tip of the iceberg. His arrest revealed how deeply entrenched eel poaching had become and how brazen the perpetrators were.
 
Operation Broken Glass Unleashed:
In 2019, after years of tracking eel smugglers, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service launched a major offensive: Operation Broken Glass. The investigation culminated in the arrest of over 20 individuals involved in illegal eel trafficking. It was one of the most significant crackdowns on aquatic wildlife crime in U.S. history.

Among those arrested was Tommy Zhou, a seafood dealer based in Brooklyn, New York. Zhou ran a complex operation where he mixed illegally caught glass eels with legally harvested ones, laundering them into the legal seafood market. What made Zhou's case particularly notorious was his violent intimidation tactics. When he suspected someone might expose his operation, Zhou allegedly threatened to pay $200,000 to have them killed. According to reports, he even offered to hire hit men to silence informants, calling attention to how serious and dangerous the eel trade had become.

Zhou's threats highlighted how the illicit seafood market was not just about poaching but involved organized crime-level intimidation, violence, and money laundering.
 
The Case of Bill Sheldon:
Another key figure arrested was Bill Sheldon, a fisherman from Maine. Unlike Zhou's urban smuggling ring, Sheldon's crimes were rooted in the source: the rivers and coastal waters where glass eels were harvested. He was charged with seven counts of illegally smuggling eels. The court ordered him to surrender all vessels associated with his smuggling operation, which included a pickup truck humorously - and ironically - bearing the license plate "EEL SZN."

Sheldon's participation illustrated how some licensed fishermen were bending or outright breaking the rules to exploit the market. He used legal operations as a cover to funnel massive quantities of elvers into the black market, taking advantage of regulatory gaps and the limited capacity of enforcement agencies to monitor every transaction.
 
Economic and Environmental Impact:
The illegal trade in glass eels has broader consequences than the crimes themselves. Glass eels are vital to the survival of the eel population. They are the juvenile phase of the American eel (Anguilla rostrata), a species that has seen significant declines over the past few decades. Eel populations across the globe have dropped by over 90% in some regions, prompting many environmental organizations to classify them as endangered or critically endangered.

Overharvesting juvenile eels prevents them from maturing and reproducing, further collapsing populations and endangering biodiversity. The eel black market, therefore, isn't just an issue of crime; it's an urgent conservation crisis. Operation Broken Glass wasn't only about catching criminals - it was about protecting a species from extinction.
 
Law Enforcement and International Cooperation:
One of the challenges in tackling eel smuggling is the international nature of the trade. Many of the eels caught in the U.S. are illegally shipped to Asia, where they are farm-raised and sold in restaurants. Once overseas, tracing the origin of the eels becomes nearly impossible.

To combat this, Operation Broken Glass involved cross-agency and international cooperation, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, state law enforcement, the Department of Justice, and even customs agencies. The operation also set a precedent for how wildlife trafficking cases should be handled—with coordinated sting operations, surveillance, and heavy sentencing for environmental crimes.
 
A Look Ahead: Enforcement, Education, and Ethics:
In the wake of Operation Broken Glass, the U.S. government and conservation groups have emphasized the need for increased awareness and stricter regulations. More resources are being allocated to monitor eel fisheries, enforce quotas, and educate fishermen and dealers about the legal and environmental risks of the black market.

Public education campaigns are also targeting consumers, especially those in luxury seafood markets, to encourage ethical sourcing and transparency. In the long run, sustainable aquaculture and traceable supply chains may be the key to easing pressure on wild populations while still meeting market demand.
 
Conclusion:
The story of Operation Broken Glass is more than a sensational crime story. It's a sobering example of how ecological scarcity, cultural demand, and human greed intersect in ways that threaten not only species but also public safety and trust. From poachers in Maine to seafood dealers in Brooklyn, the ripple effects of the illegal eel trade continue to echo through courts, conservation efforts, and seafood markets.

As enforcement agencies evolve and consumers become more conscious, the hope is that the illegal trade in glass eels - and other vulnerable wildlife - will be relegated to history. Until then, the lessons of Operation Broken Glass serve as a reminder of the high stakes behind even the smallest and most transparent of creatures.

Reference:

• The True Crime File, Kim Daly.

Written By: Md.Imran Wahab, IPS, IGP, Provisioning, West Bengal
Email: [email protected], Ph no: 9836576565