Illegal Wildlife Trade Worth Millions
The turtles are thought to be worth $1.4 million (£1m) in the illegal wildlife market, authorities said. The smuggling was discovered while the snakes were being inspected at the border, and later it was determined that Lin had sent another 11 venomous snake parcels under investigation. Turtles are protected under international trade regulations, so both species needed export permits. It is considered to be a vulnerable species by conservationists around the globe and is also named as such by international conservation authorities.
Facing a Prison Sentence
Lin faces up to five years in prison and is scheduled to be sentenced on 23 December. It was the second case of its kind this year after another Chinese national was sentenced to 30 months in jail in March for conspiring to smuggle more than 2,000 eastern box turtles, hidden again inside socks and falsely declared as food products.
