Style Craft Furniture Co. Ltd., pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Camden, N.J., to one count of smuggling cribs containing internationally protected wood known as "ramin," the Justice Department announced. The company will pay a $40,000 fine. The company, a manufacturer of wooden baby furniture located primarily in China, imported approximately $15 million in declared value of wood furniture between 2004 and 2005. "The Justice Department is committed to enforcing laws that protect timber, like the tropical hardwood ramin, from overharvesting and exploitation," said John C. Cruden, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. "Illegal timber harvesting is a growing problem and the Department is increasing its efforts to enforce the laws designed to protect plant species from extinction." ManufactureThis notes that Chinese manufacturers have an unfortunate record of continually violating health, safety, and envionmental standards. A recent AAM report pointed to repeated environmental violations by China's steel manufacturers. So, while it's unfortunate to see illegal timber harvesting in China, it's not surprising.