Man tried to smuggle hundreds of turtles inside socks out of the US
Wei Qiang Lin, a Chinese national who lives in Brooklyn, pleaded guilty Monday in federal court in New York to attempting to export more than 220 parcels containing around 850 eastern box turtles and three-toed box turtles, according to the US Justice Department.
The turtles, with an estimated market value of $1.4 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 colorful markings and are a 'prized feature' in the domestic and foreign pet market, particularly in China and Hong Kong, prosecutors said.
The two turtle species, heavily smuggled in the 1990s, are now protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
Their trade is only permissible with export or re-export certificates. The eastern box turtle is also deemed vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
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 23 December.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Off-duty NYPD officer fatally shoots man on Staten Island pointing fake gun
An off-duty New York Police Department officer fatally shot a man pointing a fake gun at the officer on Friday night on Staten Island, according to law enforcement. At about 8 p.m., a 911 call came in about a man with a gun at the back of a diner, Assistant Chief Melissa Eger, of the NYPD Patrol Borough of Staten Island, said during a news conference. An off-duty officer then spotted the same man with what appeared to be a firearm and told another off-duty officer, said Eger. They told the man to put the firearm down but instead he pointed it at the officers, said Eger, who added that surveillance video captured the events. One officer then fired at the man. The officers 'performed life-saving measures' and then the man was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, she said. 'Our officers were confronted with a dangerous and unpredictable situation, and they attempted to de-escalate the situation multiple times,' she said. An imitation firearm was found at the scene, she said. The shooting is being investigated. She said the man has a criminal history, but the details were not immediately clear.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Frantic search for seven-month-old boy kidnapped during attack on mom outside store
A seven-month-old baby is missing after being kidnapped from his mother's truck as she tried to change his diaper outside a California sporting goods store. A frantic search is underway from Emmanuel Haro after he was wrenched from his mother Rebecca Haro, who was knocked unconscious during the attack. Haro was running an errand at a Big 5 retail store in Yucaipa on Thursday when she says a stranger suddenly attacked her from behind as she prepared to change her son's diaper, according to KTLA 5 News. When she regained consciousness with a black eye and no memory of what had happened, she quickly realized her infant son was nowhere to be found. The family is desperately pleading for help in bringing Emmanuel home, as search teams and tracking dogs have yet to uncover any trace of the missing infant. 'I'm begging you please, if you know anything, I'm begging you please bring him back,' Haro begged the public, as reported by CBS News. Haro had been watching her son and stepson at football practice when one of them needed a mouthguard, prompting her to leave the local stadium around 7pm to pick one up - and change Emmanuel's diaper. The mom says the last thing she remembers is someone greeting her in Spanish before she was knocked out in the parking lot. 'I was going to get the diaper and somebody said, "Hola,"' the mother told KTLA News. 'I don't remember anything since. I woke up here on the floor and I didn't see Emmanuel.' With a fresh black eye, the mother was overcome by a wave of crippling fear as she realized Emmanuel was missing. 'I checked all around my truck,' Rebecca told the outlet. 'And I ran into Big 5, and I asked the lady if she saw a baby or someone with a baby. She said no.' 'He's a happy boy,' she added. 'He was a healthy baby, he was crawling, he was kicking, he was playing with his toys. Whoever took our son, please give him back.' Officers with the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Office arrived at the scene just before 8pm, where they brought along additional search tools, including K9 scent-tracking dogs to track either the child or a suspect down. 'Everybody came,' Rebecca told KTLA. 'The dogs, the helicopters.' Despite exhaustive search efforts, the family remains both confused and fearful, insisting they have no enemies and cannot understand who would want to harm them. 'Whoever took my son, please return him,' Emmanuel's father, Jake Haro, told the outlet. 'We just want him back. We won't do anything to you. Just give us our son. Keep him safe, don't hurt him, make sure you feed him and change him,' he added in tears. Rebecca echoed her husband's plea, adding: 'If you know anything, please come forward or take him to the cops. Please come and bring my son back. I'm begging you.' On Friday evening, friends and family gathered outside the sporting goods store to begin their own search efforts, armed with flyers they had prepared. Emmanuel is described as weighing approximately 21 pounds, standing about 24 inches tall, with brown hair, brown eyes, and a noticeable cross-eye. He was last seen wearing a black Nike onesie. Authorities have not released a suspect description, as the case remains under active investigation. Anyone with information about Emmanuel's whereabouts or details related to the case is urged to call 911 or contact the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Dispatch at 909-387-8313.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
The town rocked by youth violence where parents face jail time if their kids commit crime
Parents in a New Jersey township could be hit with fines or even jail time if their kids cause a public disturbance thanks to new rules brought in to curb antisocial behavior. Gloucester Township Council have adopted the new measure after a series of incidents involving 'unruly juveniles' ruining a town festival two years in a row. Last year the township's annual community day in June descended into chaos after around 500 people started causing disruptions, according to WPVI. Disruption ran on for two hours and resulted in the arrest of 10 juveniles aged between 13 and 17, along with two adults. Officers were reportedly spat on, cursed at and assaulted according to Police Chief David Harkins. This year the event was due to go ahead, but was postponed over threats of violence being made. Now new rules specify that parents of a minor who is found guilty of a first offense may be 'ordered to provide supervision of the minor'. Another offense could see the parent or legal guardian hit with a fine of $2,000, or face a jail sentence of 90 days, or both, the ordinance says. Speaking with ABC News, Chief Harkins emphasized that punishment isn't the primary goal with the new rules. He said: 'We're not looking to put anybody in jail. This is about warning parents and due process. 'We've gotten overwhelming support from our community. People recognize the need for parental responsibility.' Speaking on the youth violence, he added: 'I've never experienced anything like it in 30 years as a police officer the disrespect, the violent behavior that ruined a family event. 'We understand being a parent is a tough job. We're committed to giving help to those that need it. 'Many times interviewing the parents, they had no idea who their kids were with or what they were doing. That's got to change.' Harkins told the outlet that so far no parents have been charged since the new rules were brought in. Speaking with NewsNation, Mayor David Mayer said: 'We have a juvenile crisis in this country. This is not unique to Gloucester Township. 'It is symptomatic of a larger societal juvenile crisis. I'll tell you, I don't have all the answers. But one possible answer is to hold parents accountable for their children. 'We have to get parents' attention to make sure they're tracking their children, juveniles, in a proper way, and hold them responsible.' The outlet also spoke with parents who are outraged over the move and believe it has set a dangerous precedent. Alexandra Bougher with the group Moms for Liberty, told the outlet: 'Blaming parents for what a child does? They are their own person. 'Sure, the brain is not fully formed yet, but if they are getting the correct guidance, they should be making the right decisions, and they know the difference between right and wrong. 'And if they choose to do something wrong, that child should be held accountable for it, not the parent. 'I think if we start this, what does it open up? What else are we going to be at fault for? If a child gets in a car accident, is it my fault? I was at home.' Nicole Stouffer, founder of parental rights group 'The New Jersey Project', pointed to lax marijuana laws and changes in police policies. In a statement, the council said: 'By emphasizing parental accountability, the ordinance encourages guardians to be actively involved in guiding their children and preventing juvenile misconduct. 'This measure is part of the township's ongoing efforts to keep Gloucester Township safe and ensure it remains a community where residents and visitors can feel secure.'
