Man faces jail for transporting 850 turtles to Hong Kong on socks

A Chinese man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to export about 850 protective turtles wrapped in socks and falsely marked as toys, a U.S. judge said.

Wei Qiang Lin exported more than 200 packages wrapped in tortoises to Hong Kong between August 2023 and November 2024, according to a statement from the Justice Department on Monday.

Authorities say the boxes filled with sea turtles were marked “containing ‘plastic animal toys’ and so on.”

The forest mainly transports eastern box turtles and three-toed box turtles. Both species are native to the United States and are highly praised by some pet owners.

Turtles have unique marks on their shells, considered as symbols of China’s status, and they are usually preserved as pets.

U.S. authorities estimate that the combined market value of Lin’s turtle is $1.4 million (£1 million). He was arrested when the animal was intercepted by law enforcement during a border inspection.

Both species were smuggled in large quantities in the 1990s and were protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wildlife Groups and Flora and Flora. Trade in sea turtles can only be authorized through an export license or a reexport certificate.

The IUCN also believes that Eastern Box Turtles are vulnerable to attack.

According to the Ministry of Justice, in addition to sea turtles, forests have exported 11 other packages containing reptiles including venomous snakes.

Lin is scheduled to be sentenced on December 23 and faces up to five years in prison.

In March, another Chinese national was sentenced to 30 months in prison for smuggling more than 2,000 boxes of sea turtles from the east.

The animals are also wrapped in socks and packed in boxes marked with almonds and chocolate chip cookies.

U.S. authorities estimate that each turtle can be sold for $2,000 (£1,500).