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National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Office of Inspector General
Washington, D.C. 20546

March 31, 2003

RELEASE 2003-025: HONDURAN MOON ROCK FORFEITED TO THE UNITED STATES

On March 26, 2003, U. S. District Judge Adalberto Jordan, ordered
that the United States is entitled to forfeit a moon rock stolen from
the government of the Republic of Honduras and introduced into the
United States in violation of United States Customs laws. 

The moon rock was originally given to the Republic of Honduras as one 
of many goodwill gifts of moon rocks and other lunar mission mementos 
given to friendly nations in 1973.  Law enforcement agents, in a
sting operation aimed at preventing fraudulent moon rock and lunar
material sales, seized the moon rock after it had been imported into
the United States.  The government of Honduras then formally
requested the United States to return the moon rock to Honduras.

The United States filed a complaint in federal court against the moon 
rock's importer seeking forfeiture of the moon rock on the grounds
that it was stolen property introduced into the United States in
violation of customs laws.  The Federal Court found that the
government and the people of the Republic of Honduras had not
transferred title to the moon rock under Honduran law and the court
upheld the forfeiture of the property.

Special Agents from the NASA Office of Inspector General, the Bureau
of Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the Department of Homeland
Security, and the United States Postal Inspection Service conducted
the investigation.  Assistant United States Attorney James H. Swain
and United States Customs Service Attorney Jonathan Zwibel handled
the case.

For more information on this release, please contact Joseph Kroener, 
Acting Executive Officer, NASA Office of Inspector General, at
(202)358-2558.

For a copy of the decision in pdf format click here:
http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/oig/hq/press/honduran1.pdf

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