By Emily DiGiuseppe / Full360 Writer
Pennsylvania is home to 14 native turtle species. While they seem to be a staple to the state’s natural environment, the native turtle species are in demand on the black market. The turtles, protected under law and an international treaty, are among reptiles and animals targeted by illegal traffickers.
Between 2015 and 2021, there were around 140,000 seizures made on wildlife trafficking operations.
U.S. Department of Justice releases, bulletins, media articles, and other accessible literature, at least identified 54 known cases of illegal trade in the United States occurred between 1998 and 2021 involving the illegal trade of at least 24,000 freshwater turtles of 34 different species. Trade occurred in at least 43 U.S. states and six countries, including Canada.Partners in Amphibians and Reptile Conservation Wildlife reports that trafficking is a serious conservation problem, leading to the endangerment of animals and plants around the world, and has also been shown to be connected to the spread and development of deadly diseases. The animals most famously trafficked are grand, such as crocodiles, rhinos, parrots, pangolins and elephants; this gives the impression that the wildlife trade is a far away issue for somebody living in Pennsylvania. However, in 2020, a secret agent played an intricate role in the bust of an illegal turtle trafficking operation, involving a few species of turtle that might be living in your backyard.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife had been aware of the turtle trafficking operation since 2018, but had been unable to find enough information to officially close down shop. This is where secret agent Ryan Bessey comes in. Bessey is an officer in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Office of Law Enforcement, and after leading an investigation into the case, he was able to get in contact with Kang Juntao, the primary person involved with the operation. On social media, Bessey acted like another supplier. In reality, Bessey was finding the information of any persons involved with the trafficking of the turtles over an 18-month-long period.
Among these people discovered in the operation was Haixi Sheng, a student at Pennsylvania State University. Sheng was arrested for attempting to ship box turtles to China, and was sentenced to a year in prison. Haixi Sheng’s shipments were estimated to be worth roughly $200,000, from nearly 80 of these endangered turtles.
The operation finally ended when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Department of State, and the U.S. Department of Justice arranged a flight for Juntao, from Kuala Lumpur to Malaysia and finally to New Jersey, where he was arrested in Camden County. Though Juntao had never previously been in the United States, his arrest was made possible by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, an international treaty restricting the trade of species such as the box and spotted turtles involved in the operation. Juntao was sentenced to 38 months in prison and one year of supervised release.
It’s laws like this that help lower Wildlife Trafficking. For example, the Lacey Act is a law that prohibits fish and wildlife from being sold and trafficked. It was first enacted in 1900 and amended in 2008 to cover more plants and animals. The act is enforced by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, NOAA Fisheries, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
During the operation, at least 1,500 turtles native to the eastern United States were shipped illegally. During the trade, the turtles Juntao was shipping often were in boxes or containers labeled books, clothes and cosmetics. The turtles’ limbs were taped to their side before being stuffed into a sock, knotted at the opening. The sad truth is that these conditions are not unique in the wildlife trade. Other animals, such as birds, will be stuffed into bottles during shipment.
In the wildlife trade, turtles are trafficked to produce a variety of items, including ornaments, food, leather and even medicine. And while most conservationists will agree that hunting can be beneficial for wildlife and people, the unregulated trade of these products leads to devastation for wildlife. According to information posted from the Peace Valley Nature Center in Bucks County, “By feeding on algae and carcasses, turtles regulate water quality and prevent harmful algal blooms that threaten marine and human health.”
Secret Agent Ryan Bessey’s bust of Kang Juntato’s turtle trading operation is a reminder that dangers to our environment are closer to us than we think. The place Kang Juntao was arrested is only an hour away from Delaware Valley University’s campus, and included several recognizable turtle species that each serve vital roles in their ecosystems.