Chinese Man Smuggled $1 Million in Turtles, Pleads Guilty
Wei Qiang Lin, a Chinese man from Brooklyn, pleaded guilty to smuggling over 850 protected eastern box turtles and three-toed box turtles from the United States to Hong Kong. The turtles, valued at $1.4 million, were discovered by law enforcement at a border inspection after being packed in socks and falsely labeled. Lin faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for violating the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. Sentencing is scheduled for December 23rd.
John Q. Hosedrinker