Man admits trying to smuggle 850 protected turtles worth £1 million to Hong Kong
The turtles, with an estimated market value of 1.4 million dollars (£1 million), were intercepted by law enforcement at a border inspection, prosecutors said. Officers saw them bound and taped inside knotted socks within the shipping boxes.
Eastern box turtles and three-toed box turtles feature colourful markings and are a 'prized feature' in the domestic and foreign pet market, particularly in China and Hong Kong, prosecutors said.
The reptiles are protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
Lin also shipped 11 other parcels filled with reptiles, including venomous snakes, prosecutors said.
He faces up to five years in prison when he is sentenced on December 23.
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Scottish Sun
8 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Bank-emptying Gmail and Outlook attachments overtaken by even WORSE costly email con that's much harder for you to spot
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Daily Record
3 days ago
- Daily Record
Sex for Sale: Trade in human flesh moved off streets as traffickers made millions promising women new lives
Many women who now advertise sex services online in Scotland are also the victims of ruthless people trafficking gangs Fifteen years ago much of the street prostitution which blighted Scotland had disappeared. Women were now advertising their services online on adult websites from flats, hotels and even AirBnb. There they could meet their clients in the relative safety of their own homes. On the surface it looked as though it was safer for the women and posed fewer problems for the police. A case of out of sight and out of mind. But in many cases it was replaced by a far more serious problem for both the police and women - sex trafficking. Organised crime groups were quick to see the riches to be made from selling sex on the new adult websites and controlling the women who supplied the services. Victims were lured from their homes in Eastern Europe and Asia to Scotland with promises of a new life only to be sold as sex slaves and a life of misery in flats which had been turned into brothels. Their services were then being advertised on the same adult websites as the new generation of women who had chosen to work there rather than on the streets. For the police one problem had been replaced with another A number of cases in the last year have shown the horrifying extent of the problem and the millions that the ruthless gangs are making. In May a police Proceeds of Crime investigation revealed how convicted sex trafficker Jagpal Singh, 55 - who duped Chinese women into travelling to Scotland and forcing them into prostitution - had made more than £2.6 million from the evil trade in human flesh. He was already serving a 10 year jail term imposed in 2022 at the High Court in Glasgow. Singh, his partner Donglin Zhang,51, and Albanian Vlassis Ntaoulias,35, had set up a network of brothels across the city. A fourth Thai citizen Boonsong Wannas, 62, helped them bring women from Asia who were then were forced to provide sex services. Their business was abruptly ended after police visited one of their seven brothel premises and found a distressed Chinese woman inside who revealed she'd been forced to sell her body. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Last October in a separate Proceeds of Crime case, a Chinese crime gang that trafficked vulnerable women and forced them to work in brothels in Glasgow and Edinburgh were found to have made almost £5million from their misery. Xiao Min, 39, Qin Huang, 31, and Guolei Huang, 35, were captured as part of Operation Fasthold, a joint Police Scotland and Home Office investigation and jailed for a total of 20 years and nine months in June last year. At the time Detective Chief Inspector Iain Nelson of Police Scotland said: "We estimated that somewhere between £3.5million and £5million of revenue was being taken from their activities. That gave us an impression of the scale at which they were operating.' Qin's role was the daily management of the trafficked women, who were mostly from east Asia, and overseeing the advertising of sexual services on adult websites. She was sentenced to eight years in prison. Guolei, who was jailed for four years and three months, was a "minder" who escorted and managed the women while they acted as prostitutes. Xiao, who was described as the "mastermind" of the operation, was sentenced to eight years and nine months behind bars. His role was to supervise the renting of several properties in Glasgow and Edinburgh for use as brothels and provide false papers to landlords to hide the fact that the women were being trafficked. Another case of sex workers being exploited online involved Thai brothel madam Mananchaya Wanitthanawet who operated brothels from AirBnb. The 44 year-old trafficked women from Thailand to Scotland to become prostitutes and was jailed for nine years in November at the High Court in Dundee. Victims were lured to Scotland under false pretences. One of the women was promised work as a masseuse but was put up in a flat in Dundee and had to offer sex to clients. Initially she was told to pay £35,000 to Wanitthanawet for helping her come to the UK in 2019 but that was then increased to £90,000. Wanitthanawet was convicted of recruiting and transporting the women and forcing them into prostitution over a three year period. Karen Miller of anti-trafficking charity Restore Glasgow believes that the vast majority of sex workers who now advertise online are victims of abuse and exploitation in one form or another and may be no better off than those who used to work as street prostitutes. She said:"It is nothing like the movie Pretty Woman. "Many of these women are lured into prostitution by the sex traffickers with the promise of romance, a home, or a better life. "They are innocents, then they find out what is expected of them. "There is also straight up violence. "I have heard of women being forcibly taken of the street - in Albania - before being sent abroad. "There is also the promise of fake jobs such as hairdressing and au pairs. "Once they are out the country there is no way back." Karen believes few if any women ever go into sex work through choice. She added:"I have never actually met one. I couldn't say they don't exist. "I think they are like the unicorn. Hard to find. "If you bring the women in from abroad they are easier to exploit and they don't know the language or where they are. "I have met women who have been trafficked in the sex industry and it is only when they have escaped that they have found out what city they are in and in some cases the country." Karen is not convinced that moving online from the streets has made sex worker 's lives better. She added:"The immediate situation might be better in terms of being cleaner and warmer and possibly less violence. "It just means it is much harder for them to get help as no one know where they are." ENDS
South Wales Argus
3 days ago
- South Wales Argus
Fake Labubu dolls seized after Trading Standards warning
The viral plush toys – quirky fang-toothed 'monster elf' figures made popular by Chinese toymaker Pop Mart – have become a global collector's craze. This popularity has fuelled a surge in fakes, many being sold by third-party sellers via online marketplaces and local shops that are breaking the law. Trading Standards teams have seized thousands of unsafe counterfeit Labubu dolls in recent weeks. In just one month, over 2,000 were confiscated from 13 retailers in North Tyneside, with further seizures in Greater Manchester, Humberside, North Somerset, and Scotland. Many of these items were discovered after tip-offs from concerned parents. Counterfeit or fake Labubu dolls are poorly made and unsafe. Many contain small, detachable parts such as eyes, hands, and feet, which present a serious choking hazard to young children. Loose stitching and exposed stuffing further increase the risk of suffocation. These fakes often breach the UK's Toys (Safety) Regulations 2011, lacking CE or UKCA safety markings, importer details, and required safety warnings. Without proper safety checks, they may also contain toxic substances such as lead, harmful dyes, or banned plasticisers. How to spot a fake Labubu Genuine Pop Mart Labubu dolls have a distinctive elf-like design and include authenticity features such as a holographic POP MART sticker, a scannable QR code linking to the official Pop Mart website, and - on newer editions - a subtle UV stamp on one foot. Signs of a fake include overly vibrant colours and an incorrect teeth count, with authentic Labubus having nine. These markers are commonly missing or poorly replicated on counterfeit versions. Kerry Nicol, External Affairs Manager at The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI), says: 'These dolls are fast becoming the latest must have craze, which is being amplified by social media influencers promoting and showcasing 'unboxing' of the products on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. Supply and demand means that legitimate Labubu dolls are almost impossible to find. 'Parents understandably want to be able to get their hands on these toys for their children and rightly expect the toys they buy to be safe, but dangerous counterfeits are finding their way into the market, often being sold by third-party sellers on online marketplaces and from shops on the high street that have no regard for the safety of their customers. 'These fake products bypass the rigorous safety checks and compliance requirements the law demands, meaning they could contain choking hazards, toxic materials, or faulty components that put children at serious risk. "Everyone involved in the supply chain – from manufacturers and fulfilment houses to sellers and marketplaces should have a role to play in ensuring unsafe toys never reach the hands of children.' Recommended reading: What to do if you think you have bought a fake Labubu Inspect packaging carefully – check for a UKCA or CE mark, and make sure the product lists a UK-based importer or manufacturer. Warnings and usage instructions should be present. Look for authenticity markers – genuine Pop Mart Labubu dolls feature a holographic sticker, a scannable QR code linking to the official Pop Mart website, and (on newer editions) a UV stamp on one foot. Check the product's appearance – overly vibrant colours, poor stitching, or the wrong number of teeth (authentic Labubus have nine) are signs of a fake. Be cautious of 'bargains' – counterfeit toys are often cheaper but may carry serious safety risks, including choking hazards and toxic materials. Buy from reputable retailers and avoid unfamiliar online vendors or third-party sellers on online marketplaces listings. If members of the public are concerned or would like advice, they can contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 0808 223 1133 (England and Wales). In Scotland, contact Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 164 6000, or for Northern Ireland call Consumerline on 0300 123 6262. Christine Heemskerk, CTSI Lead Officer for Product Safety, says: "Fake dolls are poorly made in unsafe manufacturing premises.. Counterfeiters do not follow safety standards and are unlikely to have good factory controls in place. "A fake Labubu doll might contain hazardous chemicals in the plastic which can cause lifetime damage to a child's organs. Small parts such as eyes could easily a serious choking hazard for small children. Beware of putting your child at risk by buying cheap unsafe fakes." Jerry Burnie, Head of Toy Safety at British Toy and Hobby Association (BTHA), adds: 'Counterfeit toys are a significant risk as they are unlikely to meet the strict toy safety standards required of the legitimate toy maker. "When shopping for branded items we would always recommend researching the toy brand and try to buy from the company directly or through a reputable retailer who you can easily return the product to. "If you are buying online, particularly through an online marketplace, then include the name of the toy company in the search and compare the listing against the toy company's own website.' The risk for shops and online sellers selling fake Labubus With the Labubu craze showing no signs of slowing, businesses and collectors alike must stay informed and protected. Laura Court-Jones, Small Business editor at Bionic, says: 'The rise in counterfeit Labubu figures doesn't just affect collectors, it's a serious risk to businesses as well. 'Stocking or selling fakes, even unintentionally, can damage customer trust and hurt your brand reputation. That's why it's crucial to source responsibly and consider insurance to help protect against damage or theft due to insured events." How to insure your Labubu amid a rise in theft cases With Labubu figures flying off shelves and becoming increasingly rare, a rise in theft has followed. Originally designed as quirky handbag accessories, they've now become so coveted that a TikTok trend jokes about people handing over their entire bag to a thief, but keeping the Labubu.
