Man sentenced for smuggling turtles from U.S. to China

Sai Keung Tin, a Chinese citizen, was sentenced to nearly three years in prison for smuggling around 2,100 eastern box turtles from the U.S. to China. He pleaded guilty to four counts of illegal export. Tin's operation involved disguising turtles as food items in packages. The turtles, valued at $4.2 million, are sought after as status symbols in China. He was arrested in February 2024 after packages were intercepted in California. Tin has already served over a year in prison and plans to appeal the sentence. He claimed he did not fully understand the seriousness of his actions and has stated he will not engage in turtle trafficking again.