Man Admits To Smuggling Exotic Turtles In Packages Labeled 'Snacks'

NEW YORK, NY — A New York City man has admitted to illegally smuggling exotic turtles into the United States, including 43 that he recently tried to sneak through JFK airport in a package labeled "snacks."

Hsien Lin Hsu pleaded guilty Monday in Brooklyn federal court after fish and wildlife officials intercepted the live reptiles in packages coming from Hong Kong, according to court documents. Days after the terrapins were nabbed, wildlife officials searched his Oakland Gardens, Queens, residence and found 135 live turtles, a government complaint said.

Hsu told investigators that he had struck a deal with people in Hong Kong to facilitate the trade of the protected turtles throughout the United States, the complaint said.

The species found in the packages included Indian roofed turtles, Chinese big-headed turtles, Chinese box turtles and black-breasted leaf turtles, all of which are on an international endangered species list and require a permit to ship into the United States.

Patch has reached out to an attorney for Hsu and will let you know when we hear back.

The packages were intercepted on May 4 and May 11 of 2016, according to an affidavit signed by Thomas Loring, a special agent with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The turtles were in the packages, labeled "snacks," which also contained bags of noodles and candy, the affidavit said.

The packages were addressed to his Oakland Gardens residence, Loring said.

The 42 turtles in the packages were examined by a wildlife specialist who identified them as several endangered species, the affidavit said.

A postal inspector made "controlled deliveries" of the packages to Hsu's house, Loring said, and days later law enforcement authorities searched his house with a warrant.

Herpetology experts with the Bronx Zoo and the Wildlife Conservation Society identified the species of each of the turtles, Loring said.

During the search, Hsu told investigators that he would also ship packages to Hong Kong — under a fake name and return address — by wrapping the turtles in socks, placing candy and other objects in the packages and labeling them "snacks."

Read the full complaint below:

Image: Yellow-Margined Chinese Box Turtle, Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, used under Creative Commons