[meteorite-list] Meteorite Hunters Released from Oman

From: Adam Hupe <raremeteorites_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu May 12 22:17:19 2005
Message-ID: <020f01c55761$ec8dfe20$6401a8c0_at_c1720188a>

Dear List,

I just heard from a reliable source some good news, the ten individuals that
were caught meteorite hunting in Oman have been released. Just a week ago I
heard from the same source they were being charged with three different
felonies so it did not look good at that time making their release an
unexpected surprise. I guess they had been living on credit cards for some
time while waiting for their passports to be returned. From what I am lead
to believe they had to forfeit all of their equipment; trucks, supplies and
the meteorites in order to leave. I guess the poor guys were only allowed
to leave with the shirts on their backs.

I was told last week that the Omani government fined them $35.00 a gram for
the meteorites they took which was over 40 kilos amounting to about US
$1,400,000.00. This amount seem ludicrous to me but shows what kind of
value the people of Oman place on their meteorites. I also heard that an
Omani guide connected to the Swiss was responsible for turning them in.

I hope the most recent update is accurate, I feel it is.

Kind Regards,

Adam
Received on Thu 12 May 2005 10:17:33 PM PDT