Chinese woman indicted for Vt. turtle smuggling operation

BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – Federal authorities say a Chinese woman was indicted Thursday in connection with trying to smuggle box turtles across a Vermont lake into Canada.

A Burlington grand jury indicted Wan Yee Ng, 41, of Hong Kong, with a single count of attempting to export merchandise contrary to law.

Court documents say Ng, a Chinese national living in Canada, came to the attention of the United States Border Patrol at the Beecher Falls Station in Canaan after repeatedly renting the same Airbnb on Lake Wallace, an area that has been used for human and drug smuggling. They say they also noticed Ng’s husband was renting a separate property on the Canadian side.

On June 26, agents monitored Ng as she prepared an inflatable kayak and duffle bag. At the same time, Royal Canadian Mounted Police were monitoring her husband on the other side of the lake. The agents ended up seizing 29 live eastern box turtles individually wrapped in socks in the duffle. Eastern box turtles are known to be sold on the Chinese black market for $1,000 each, according to the affidavit.

Ng faces up to 10 years if convicted.

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