In a significant case of wildlife trafficking, Sai Keung Tin, a Chinese citizen, was sentenced to nearly three years in prison for smuggling around 2,100 eastern box turtles into the U.S. These turtles, valued at $2,000 each on the black market, were intercepted at a California mail facility where they were disguised as almonds and chocolate cookies. The case highlights the impact of the rising middle class in China, which has shifted demand towards exotic pets as status symbols. The turtles are protected under international law, emphasizing ongoing challenges in combatting wildlife crime.
"Some people prize wine, fancy cars, artwork, but right now, with the rise of [the] middle class in China, it is turtles. It is North American turtles that are a status symbol."
"The eastern box turtles, known for the vivid yellow-orange markings on their shells, were bound from the East Coast for Hong Kong and were intercepted in Torrance."
Collection
[
|
...
]