{
  "id": 4798530,
  "title": "The world’s reefs are disappearing. Coral trafficking is booming",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/the-worlds-reefs-are-disappearing-coral-trafficking-is-booming",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-31T22:56:09.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Mongabay",
    "slug": "mongabay",
    "url": "https://news.mongabay.com/2026/08/the-worlds-reefs-are-disappearing-coral-trafficking-is-booming/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "ArtReef Rocks, an online shop that offered aquarium accessories and custom-built coral landscapes, gained popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic. The company, based in the Philippines, catered to customers in the United States and other countries. Its founder, Glenn Albert Binoya, was recognized for inventing artificial live rocks, which are made from aragonite and crushed reef rocks.\n\nHowever, Binoya's business was under scrutiny following a 2022 indictment in Alaska. Ten U.S. nationals were charged with coral trafficking, which violated the Lacey Act that governs wildlife trade. The accused men were alleged to have unlawfully sold coral and conspired to smuggle wildlife. Despite the company's success and positive customer feedback, allegations of coral trafficking have cast a shadow over its operations.",
  "summary": "ArtReef Rocks was an up-and-coming online shop offering aquarium accessories that made waves during the COVID-19 pandemic, offering hobbyists custom reefs and sculpted landscapes for their fish tanks. Aquarists raved about excellent packaging (“Not a single broken piece!”), quick turnarounds (“Arrived in only 4 days.”), and client support (“Customer service is amazing.”) — compliments that […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}