A woman named Wan Yee Ng from China was caught at a lake in Vermont trying to sneak 29 protected eastern box turtles into Canada by kayak. She was arrested on June 28 at an Airbnb in Canaan just as she was getting ready to paddle across Lake Wallace with the turtles in a duffle bag. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police had tipped off U.S. Border Patrol about her and another person paddling from Canada toward the U.S.
Border Patrol agents found the live turtles wrapped in socks in her bag. These turtles are very valuable on the black market in China, where they can sell for up to $1,000 each. Ng is now facing charges for trying to take these turtles out of the U.S. illegally, which goes against the law protecting endangered species.
Woman Arrested in Vermont for Smuggling 29 Endangered Turtles to Canada by Kayak
Authorities had been watching Ng since May when they noticed her in an area known for smuggling activities. Lake Wallace is sometimes used for smuggling people and drugs. Ng had entered the U.S. earlier on a visitor visa and was supposed to go to New Jersey, but she was caught again trying to return to the same spot in Vermont.
This case shows how serious wildlife smuggling can be and how far people will go to profit from rare animals. The cooperation between U.S. and Canadian authorities is crucial in stopping this kind of illegal trade and protecting endangered species like the eastern box turtle.
