This story is free to read because readers choose to support LAist. If you find value in independent local reporting, make a donation to power our newsroom today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Man Who Smuggled 55 Live Turtles & Tortoises in Snack Food Boxes Gets Prison Time
This photo provided Monday, Jan. 10, 2011, by the U.S attorney's office in Los Angeles shows turtles that were confiscated Friday, Jan. 7, 2011, at Los Angeles International Airport. (AP Photo/US Attorney's Office)
The man who tried to sneak 55 live turtles and tortoises packed in snack food boxes into the U.S. via Los Angeles International Airport last year will now get to pack himself into a federal prison cell.
Japanese national Atsushi Yamagami, 39, was sentenced to serve 21 months, and ordered to pay a $18,403 criminal fine, according to the Department of Justice.
Yamagami, described in court documents as "a major wildlife trafficker," pleaded guilty in August 2011 for his January 2011 crime. Many of the live reptiles Yamagami attempted to smuggle into America were species protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), an international treaty that protects species being threatened by international trade. Additionally, putting the turtles and tortoises in snack food boxes constituted animal cruelty, argued federal prosecutors.
The smuggler was busted as part of something nicknamed 'Operation Flying Turtle,' an undercover sting run by agents with the Fish and Wildlife Service who infiltrated a smuggling ring.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our connected community. We are free to tell the full truth, to hold power to account without fear or favor, and to follow facts wherever they lead. Our only loyalty is to our audiences and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen our community.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive from readers like you will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive from readers like you will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
