Woman faces 10 years in prison for smuggling 29 turtles from US into Canada by kayak

Woman faces 10 years in prison for smuggling 29 turtles from US into Canada by kayak

A woman was caught in the act while attempting to smuggle 29 protected turtles across a Vermont lake into Canada via kayak, moving as slowly as a tortoise.

Wan Yee Ng, 41, was apprehended while loading an inflatable boat at an Airbnb in Canaan, Vermont, according to a Border Patrol agent’s affidavit submitted to federal court.

Border Patrol agents discovered the Eastern box turtles wrapped individually in socks inside Ng’s duffle bag, as reported by Fox News.

Authorities stated that they were alerted by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police that Ng’s husband and another individual had begun paddling a kayak from the Canadian side of Lake Wallace toward the U.S., according to court documents.

Eastern Box turtles are valued at around $1,000 each on the Chinese black market.

Ng’s cell phone records reportedly revealed her plan to sell the turtles in Hong Kong.

Ng, originally from Hong Kong, had been residing in Canada.

On Friday, Ng pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to a single charge of attempting to smuggle Eastern box turtles — a species protected in Vermont and other states — from the U.S. to Canada.

Her sentencing is set for December.

Ng faces a maximum of 10 years in prison and a potential fine of up to $250,000.