A man from China could go to prison after admitting he illegally sent hundreds of turtles worth about $1.4 million from the U.S. to Hong Kong.
On Monday, Aug. 11, Wei Qiang Lin, who lives in Brooklyn, New York, appeared in federal court in Buffalo. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) said Lin lied about what was in the packages, claiming they contained “plastic animal toys” instead of live turtles.
Between August 2023 and November 2024, Lin sent about 222 packages holding around 850 turtles to Hong Kong. Border inspectors found the turtles tied up in socks and packed into shipping boxes. Officials also said Lin shipped other reptiles, including venomous snakes.
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Most of the turtles were eastern box turtles and three-toed box turtles, colorful species that are native to the United States. They are in high demand in China and Hong Kong for the pet trade. Both species are protected under international law because of past over-exporting.
If convicted, Lin could face up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the amount of money made from the crime. He will be sentenced on Dec. 23. Lin has also agreed to give up any claim to the animals seized during the investigation.
This case follows another turtle smuggling conviction earlier this year. In March, Chinese citizen Sai Keung Tin, also called Ricky Tin, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for helping traffic about 2,100 turtles from the U.S. to Hong Kong between 2018 and 2023. His packages were falsely labeled as food, such as almonds and cookies.
