A woman was recently caught attempting to smuggle 29 protected turtles across a Vermont lake into Canada by kayak. Wan Yee Ng, 41, was apprehended as she was loading an inflatable boat at an Airbnb in Canaan, Vt. Border Patrol agents discovered Eastern box turtles individually wrapped in socks inside Ng’s duffle bag.
It was reported that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police informed local authorities that Ng’s husband and another individual were paddling a kayak from the Canadian side of Lake Wallace towards the US. Eastern Box turtles are a protected species in Vermont and some other states, and they are highly sought after on the Chinese black market, with each turtle fetching a price of $1,000.
Ng’s cell phone records indicated her intention to sell the turtles in Hong Kong. Originally from Hong Kong, Ng was residing in Canada at the time of her arrest. She pleaded guilty in US District Court to attempting to smuggle the turtles from the US to Canada. Ng’s sentencing is scheduled for December, where she faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
