Louisiana company charged with conspiring to mislabel shrimp, pleads guilty

New Orleans, La. – Two seafood companies face a charge of mislabeling over $100,000 worth of commercially-sold shrimp, a felony violation of the Lacey Act.

U.S. Attorney Jim Letten announced the one-count Bills of Information Tuesday.

According to the U.S. Attorney, Doran Sea-Pak, LLC, a seafood processing company in Independence, La., and Worldwide Shrimp Company, a seafood distributor in Highland Park, Illinois, entered into a business agreement that resulted in the packaging and mislabeling of Mexican shrimp as a product of the United States.

Federal prosecutors allege the mislabeling by Doran Sea-Pak took place under Worldwide’s direction between November 2007 and December 2008. The Louisiana processing company then sent the shrimp to wholesale distributors, who sold it to supermarkets, retail stores, and restaurants across the U.S.

If convicted, each company faces a fine up to $500,000.