### Woman Pleads Guilty to Smuggling 29 Turtles Across U.S.-Canada Border

A Chinese woman admitted guilt on Friday for attempting to smuggle 29 protected eastern box turtles across Lake Wallace into Canada using a kayak. The suspect, Wan Yee Ng, 41, was apprehended on June 28 at an Airbnb in Canaan as she was preparing to embark on Lake Wallace in an inflatable kayak with a duffle bag in her possession, according to court filings from a Border Patrol agent.

Authorities were alerted by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police that two individuals, including a man believed to be her husband, had initiated a kayak journey from the Canadian side toward the United States. Upon conducting a search of Ng's heavy duffle bag, agents found the 29 live turtles, each individually wrapped in socks.

Eastern box turtles are notably sold on the Chinese black market, fetching prices around $1,000 each. A search of Ng's cellphone by law enforcement revealed communications suggesting that she aimed to smuggle the turtles into Canada for eventual sale in Hong Kong.

Hailing from Hong Kong but residing in Canada, Ng pled guilty to one count of unlawfully attempting to export and send the turtles out of the United States. VTDigger first reported on the plea agreement. She now faces a sentencing hearing in December, with potential penalties including up to 10 years in prison and a fine reaching $250,000.