Man Pleads Guilty to Smuggling 850 Endangered Turtles to Hong Kong

Wei Qiang Lin, a Chinese national residing in Brooklyn, pleaded guilty to smuggling approximately 850 protected eastern box turtles and three-toed box turtles from the U.S. to Hong Kong by falsely labeling them as 'plastic animal toys' and shipping them in boxes with the turtles bound inside knotted socks. The turtles, valued at around $1.4 million, were intercepted during a border inspection, alongside 11 additional parcels of reptiles including venomous snakes. Both turtle species are native to the U.S. and protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), with the eastern box turtle also listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The turtles are highly prized in Asian markets, especially in China and Hong Kong, where their colorful markings make them desirable exotic pets and status symbols. Lin faces up to five years in prison, a fine up to $250,000 or twice the illegal gain or loss, and sentencing is scheduled for December 23. This case follows a similar 2024 conviction of another Chinese national sentenced to 30 months for smuggling over 2,000 turtles using similar methods.