In 2016, Hsien Lin Hsu received by post 42 exotic and endangered turtle species shipped from Hong Kong to New York City in packages labeled as “snacks.”
He recently pled guilty in a US federal court in Brooklyn to the crime of trafficking an endangered species, revealing that he had colluded with a gang of criminals to smuggle species including included Chinese box turtles, black-breasted leaf turtles, and Chinese big-headed turtles from Asia to the US where buyers either consume or collect them.
The species mentioned are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species and are perfect for shipping because they can go a long time without food or water.
US Fish and Wildlife Service agents seized the five packages from Hong Kong last year and made the arrest. Upon searching the home of Hsu, 46, they found 135 more turtles, according to the AP.
According to Jim Breheny, director of the Bronx Zoo, illegal turtle trafficking is so widespread that some 10 turtle species that have fewer than 100 members left.
“Turtle trafficking is decimating species worldwide,” said Breheny.
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