Mandalorian black market conspiracy

Mandalorian black market conspiracy
Conflict	Clone Wars
Date	—c. 21 BBY
Place	Mandalore
Participants	Galactic Republic New Mandalorians

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During the Clone Wars, a conspiracy to use the black market to smuggle supplies onto Mandalore was formed. At the time, most supplying activity to the Mandalore system was frozen as a negative reaction to Mandalore's neutral stance in the war. The plot was led by Prime Minister Almec, who was also the acting leader of the government and the second most powerful man on the planet.

Origins

The Outer Rim planet Mandalore had declared itself neutral with the outbreak of the Clone Wars, becoming a prominent member of the Council of Neutral Systems, an organization which represented over 1,500 star systems wishing to stay out of the armed conflict. Led by Mandalorian Duchess Satine Kryze, the council—along with other activities—attempted to counter the emerging Death Watch movement.

File:CouncilOfNeutralSystems.jpg

The Council of Neutral Systems, a Sundari-based body uniting various factions.

The declaration of neutrality left Mandalore in isolation, as neither of the two primary belligerents provided supply for the planet. To ensure the continuing importation of vital goods and resources, Prime Minister Almec contacted smugglers to establish a black market.

Activities

Tea smuggling

"Where do you get the tea?"
"From Mooga. The Commerce Guild controls it."

―Duchess Satine Kryze inquiring Siddiq

File:Ardees Beverage tea girl.jpg

Tea incorrectly diluted with slabin caused several poisoning cases among schoolchildren.

Circa 21 BBY, the conspirators imported Ardees Beverage tea from Mooga for Sundari schoolchildren. The Moogan smugglers, led by Tee Va, bribed an official of the New Mandalorians and established a facility in the spaceport, where they diluted the tea with slabin. The drinks were then sold to several schools through an employee of a shipping company called Siddiq and the corrupted superintendent of the school. However, the slabin caused an epidemic among pupils, so Galactic Senator Padmé Amidala and Duchess Satine Kryze began to investigate the matter. After persuading the police captain to aid them, the two women, along with several policemen, stumbled across the Moogans' compound, and a firefight broke out, which resulted in the arrest of the smugglers and the corrupt police aiding them. The warehouse was eventually burned down.

Appearances

• Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Corruption" (First appearance)
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "The Academy"

Sources

• The Clone Wars Episode Guide: "Corruption" on StarWars.com (content now obsolete; backup link)