Taiwan Busts Live Animal Smuggler in Kinmen

A man has been charged after attempting to smuggle eight black-breasted leaf turtles and a sedated marmot into Kinmen aboard a passenger ferry from China in July, according to newly released coast guard footage. Coast guard officers found the turtles wrapped in elastic stockings and the marmot in a mesh bag, both taped to the man’s inner thighs. The turtles command high prices on the black market. Beyond violating wildlife conservation laws, authorities warn that smuggling live animals carries risks of dangerous animal-borne diseases.