A 53-year-old man has been charged with turtle trafficking after wildlife inspectors at a Torrance mail facility intercepted packages containing protected eastern box turtles allegedly addressed to one of the defendant’s aliases in China.
Sai Keung Tin, of Hong Kong, was charged Friday in Los Angeles federal court with four counts of exporting merchandise contrary to law, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Tin was arrested Feb. 25 at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City and made his initial appearance the following day in federal court in Brooklyn. His arraignment is expected in the coming weeks in downtown Los Angeles.
According to the indictment, Tin in June knowingly and illegally aided in the exportation of 40 eastern box turtles to be sent from the United States to China. Wildlife inspectors at an international mail facility in Torrance intercepted four packages addressed to “Ji Yearlong,” a name believed to be one of Tin’s aliases, and which were to be shipped to Tin’s home in Hong Kong, according to court documents.