Researchers have trained rats to help detect illegal wildlife trade by wearing custom vests and bells. A Chinese citizen, Sai Keung Tin, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for smuggling over 2,000 turtles from the U.S. to Hong Kong. Tin trafficked eastern box turtles, a protected species, worth $4.2 million between 2018 and 2023. He used false labels to disguise shipments of live turtles bound in socks to restrict movement. Tin had ties to another international turtle smuggler, Kang Juntao, who was sentenced to 38 months in prison in 2021. Authorities also intercepted packages containing turtles shipped by Tin. The eastern box turtle, highly prized in China, is protected under CITES and considered endangered in some states due to factors like habitat loss and the pet trade.
In another incident, a man was caught hiding a live turtle in his pants at Newark Liberty International Airport. Additionally, in previous cases, individuals were convicted for possessing protected and endangered animals unlawfully, including endangered sea turtle skulls and spider monkeys. Wildlife trafficking is the fourth-largest organized crime in the world, posing a serious threat to endangered species. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security emphasizes the importance of combating wildlife smuggling to protect biodiversity.
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