Man Faces Jail For Smuggling Turtles Worth $1.4 Million In Socks To Hong Kong

A Chinese man has admitted to smuggling around 850 protected turtles and different animals worthy an estimated $1.4 cardinal from nan U.S. to Hong Kong, nan Justice Department said.

The man, Wei Qiang Lin, “labeled nan boxes arsenic containing ‘plastic animal toys,’ among different things,” nan DOJ said Monday successful a statement. “Law enforcement intercepted nan turtles during a separator inspection and observed them bound and taped wrong knotted socks wrong nan shipping boxes,” it added.

“Lin besides exported 11 different parcels filled pinch reptiles including venomous snakes,” nan section said.

Lin pleaded blameworthy astatine nan U.S. District Court for nan Western District of New York "for falsely labeling unrecorded turtles arsenic clone toys anterior to exporting them successful transportation boxes connected a weeks-long travel to Hong Kong," nan DOJ said.

It added that he “primarily shipped eastbound container turtles and three-toed container turtles, autochthonal U.S. type which characteristic colorful markings — a prized characteristic successful nan home and overseas pet market, peculiarly successful China and Hong Kong.”

The creatures are besides successful precocious request successful Asian markets for illustration mainland China and Thailand, wherever group see turtles from different countries and continents arsenic desirable exotic pets, according to the Association for Asian Studies.

Both are protected by nan Convention connected International Trade successful Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

The animals Lin smuggled from mid-2023 to precocious 2024 were weighted astatine $1.4 million, nan Department of Justice said.

Eastern container turtles intercepted during a separator inspection.United States Fish and Wildlife Service Handout / AFP via Getty Images

Lin is facing a maximum punishment of 5 years successful situation and a good up to $250,000 aliases doubly nan summation aliases nonaccomplishment from nan forbidden activity erstwhile he is sentenced connected Dec. 23, according to nan DOJ.

“As portion of his plea, Lin besides agreed to wantonness immoderate spot liking successful nan reptiles seized during nan investigation,” nan section said.

In a akin case successful March, different Chinese national, Sai Keung Tin, besides known arsenic Ricky Tin, was sentenced to 30 months successful situation for smuggling much than 2,100 eastbound container turtles, nan DOJ said astatine nan time.

The animals were besides hidden successful socks and packed successful boxes branded arsenic almonds and cocoa cookies. Authorities estimated astatine nan clip that each turtle could person been sold for $2,000, bringing nan full worth of nan smuggled reptiles to $4.2 million.