Chinese smuggler caught trafficking endangered turtles in U.S.

Caught on the Move: Smuggling of Protected Turtles

The Skirmish at the Border

• Individual: Wei Qiang Lin, Brooklyn resident, pleaded guilty on Monday.
• Parcels: More than 220 items containing roughly 850 eastern box turtles and three‑toed box turtles.
• Value: The live reptiles, estimated at $1.4 million, were seized during a border inspection.
• Packaging: The turtles were wrapped in socks for the weeks‑long journey, and the boxes were mislabeled as “plastic animal toys.”

Legal Framework

The eastern box turtle and the three‑toed box turtle are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). They are coveted in domestic and foreign pet markets, especially in China and Hong Kong.

The Verdict

Sentencing is scheduled for December 23. Lin faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.