Crime & Safety
Smuggled Turtles Intercepted In South Bay En Route To China
About 40 box turtles were found bound in socks to protect their shells and to keep them from moving and alerting authorities, the DOJ said.
TORRANCE, CA — Four boxes of smuggled eastern box turtles, a protected wildlife species, were intercepted in the South Bay on their way to China for the global pet trade black market, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
A federal grand jury charged Sai Keung Tin, 53 of Hong Kong, in a four-count indictment alleging he smuggled the turtles from the United States to his home, the DOJ said. Tin was arrested on Feb. 25 at John F. Kennedy International Airport on suspicion of exporting merchandise contrary to law, authorities said.
According to the indictment returned last week, in June 2023 Tin knowingly and illegally aided in the exportation of 40 turtles. Wildlife inspectors at an international mail facility in Torrance intercepted the packages addressed to "Ji Yearlong," a name believed to be one of Tin's aliases.
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The packages were falsely labeled as containing almonds and chocolate cookies. the DOJ said.
"Three of the packages contained between eight and 12 live eastern box turtles each – all bound in socks, according to court papers. The fourth package contained seven live eastern box turtles and one deceased eastern box turtle," the DOJ said in a statement.
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The eastern box turtle is a subspecies of the common box turtle and its colorful markings are especially prized in the domestic and foreign pet trade market, authorities said. These turtles are protected by the Convention on International Trade because they are or may become threatened with extinction.
An affidavit that was filed with this case on Feb. 26 alleged that Tin was associated with Kang Juntao, a convicted felon from China and an international turtle smuggler. Kang recruited turtle poachers and suppliers in the U.S. to ship the turtles to middlemen.
The middlemen would bundle the turtles into other packages and export them to Hong Kong, the DOJ said. In this case, the turtles were found bound in socks to protect their shells and so they could not move and alert authorities, according to the DOJ.
If convicted, Tin faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for each count of smuggling.
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