Prison Sentence and Fine Imposed
A Chinese national has been sentenced to two years in prison for attempting to smuggle over $1.4 million worth of protected box turtles into Hong Kong.
The individual, Wei Qaing Lin, falsely labeled the packages as plastic animal toys.
According to the Justice Department, Lin, who resided in Brooklyn, New York, shipped 222 packages containing approximately 850 turtles. Customs officials intercepted these turtles during inspections. They were found bound and taped inside knotted socks within the shipping containers.
Lin’s shipments occurred between August 2023 and November 2024.
In addition to turtles, Lin also attempted to export protected Abronia lizards and venomous green tree and palm pit vipers. Some packages contained rare Cora mud turtles as well.
The seized turtles have been utilized by the Buffalo Zoo to establish the first-ever assurance colony for this species, which could aid in repopulating them if their wild population declines.
Turtles are highly sought after in the illegal wildlife trade for various purposes including food, traditional medicine, and as status symbols among affluent collectors.
This wildlife is safeguarded under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
Lin was charged as part of Operation Terrapene, an ongoing investigation led by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service aimed at detecting turtle smuggling operations and dismantling organized syndicates involved in such activities.
Along with his two-year prison sentence, Lin was fined $2,339—an amount equivalent to the U.S. currency he possessed at the time of his arrest.
