Sai Keung Tin, also known as Ricky Tin, was sentenced Friday to 30 months in prison for smuggling protected turtles from the U.S. to Hong Kong, officials stated.
He pleaded guilty in federal court in December to four counts of exporting merchandise contrary to law.
From February 2018 to June 2023, Tin facilitated the trafficking of about 2,100 turtles, valued at an estimated $4.2 million, to Hong Kong for the illegal pet trade.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) agents arrested him on Feb. 25, 2024, upon arrival at JFK Airport, officials stated.
A grand jury indicted Tin on March 8, 2024, based on four June 2023 shipments containing 40 eastern box turtles. USFWS inspectors in Torrance, California, intercepted the packages, falsely labeled as containing almonds and chocolate cookies. The turtles were bound in socks to evade detection, with one package containing a dead turtle.
According to authorities, USFWS agents seized Tin’s cell phones, revealing his intent to smuggle turtles during his U.S. visit. He planned trips to New Jersey, Texas, and Washington, scouting tourist spots to fabricate a cover story if caught.
His strategy included purchasing turtles with cash, shipping them domestically, and illegally exporting them to Hong Kong. He also had instructions on soaking turtles to reduce odors and binding them in socks with tape to avoid detection.
Tin was linked to international turtle smuggler Kang Juntao, extradited from Malaysia in 2019 and later imprisoned for money laundering. Kang trafficked at least 1,500 turtles worth over $2.25 million, some of which went to Tin.
Tin primarily smuggled eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina), a U.S.-native species prized in China and Hong Kong for their colorful markings. These turtles are protected under CITES, an international wildlife trade agreement to which both the U.S. and China are parties.
