He traded rare turtles on the black market. Now, SC man is going to prison – via Herp Digest

 By John Monk and Sammy Fretwell, The State, Columbia SC, 3/11/19

A federal judge sentenced the S.C. leader of an international wildlife smuggling ring to more than a year in prison Monday for his role in trading rare turtles on the black market from his home in rural Orangeburg County.

The 16 months Steven Verren Baker will spend in a federal detention facility represents one of the first times anyone will have gone to prison in South Carolina for involvement in the illegal wildlife trade, prosecutors said after Monday’s court hearing. 

U.S. District Judge Joe Anderson handed down a 27 month-sentence, but Anderson gave Baker credit for the 11 months the Holly Hill man has spent in jail awaiting resolution of the case. Anderson said that while Baker’s crime was non-violent, it was a serious offense.

Baker, a 38-year-old with bipolar disorder, has been awaiting sentencing since pleading guilty to a wildlife trafficking charge last June. He faced up to five years in prison but Baker got credit for helping federal authorities prosecute others who were part of the smuggling operation.

Baker was the kingpin of the international smuggling scheme in South Carolina, regularly trading rare turtles with Asian businessmen on the black market, prosecutors said. An Augusta, Ga.,-native, Baker is one of the most widely known wildlife traders in South Carolina, having had run-ins with authorities for parts of the past 14 years.

Winston Holliday, an assistant U.S. Attorney who prosecuted the case, said people thinking of dealing wildlife illegally in South Carolina should pay attention to Monday’s sentence. 

“It sends a message that you’re facing real jail time,’’ Holliday said.

Wildlife trafficking is a concern in South Carolina because some turtle species that once were abundant are being trapped and shipped overseas, which threatens to disrupt the balance of nature, authorities say.

Baker, wearing shackles and a prison jumpsuit, has been in jail since last spring after his arrest. After he was charged in early 2018, Baker fled from authorities and was considered a fugitive at one point.

He had little to say at Monday’s sentencing hearing, but apologized for his actions, then shook Holliday’s hand before being whisked away by federal guards. Baker’s court-appointed attorney, federal public defender James Rogers, said Baker is sorry for his actions.

“He tells me he is not going to do this again,’’ Rogers said.

After pleading guilty, Baker helped prosecutors with the investigation that involved at least five other men with South Carolina ties. They also have pleaded guilty in federal court. Holliday declined to comment when asked if the investigation was continuing. A pre-sentencing court document says the names of some people who conspired with Baker are sealed.

Baker, whose parents went to prison when he was 8 years old, was found guilty of a wildlife trafficking charge in 2015 for selling rare spotted turtles, but he received probation.

Federal officials became aware of the latest operation in 2016 when inspectors opened packages at New York’s JFK International Airport and found 48 endangered Chinese and South American turtles nestled in piles of candy and noodles.

Jason Hsu, a New York man arrested in that case, told authorities about the South Carolina conspirators. He was a key connection for S.C. turtle smugglers, according to evidence in the case. The smugglers used Facebook to keep in touch with each other, according to evidence. The scheme involved turtle dealers in New York, Hong Kong and the Carolinas.

South Carolina, with its marshes, lakes and low-lying country, is known as a prime breeding ground for numerous kinds of turtles that fetch high prices in China. A lot of money can also be made smuggling turtles, some of which are worth thousands of dollars on the international black market. For example, one rare Indian Star Tortoise, a species smuggled into the U.S. by Baker’s ring, can sell for more than $2,000.

A neighbor of Baker’s told The State last year that Baker once earned $100,000 dealing in turtles from his home in the Holly Hill area.

South Carolina is a prime spot for reptile smugglers because state laws are relatively weak. In one case, a Florida man imported more than 200 deadly African snakes to South Carolina through the Atlanta airport.

The shadowy reptile trading industry is imperiling native species in the Palmetto State as Chinese traders seek turtles for pets or food to replace once abundant species in Asia, The State reported in an investigative series last year.

Last week, a Harleyville father and son — William “Bill” Fischer, 48, and Matt Fischer, 26 — were sentenced to probation for their relatively minor roles in Baker’s smuggling operation. Evidence in the case showed the Fischers received packages of money or small numbers of smuggled turtles. The elder Fischer attended Monday’s sentencing hearing. He said before the hearing he hoped the judge would “throw the book’’ at Baker.

Another S.C. turtle smuggler, Joseph Logan Brooks, 29, believed to be from Rock Hill, received five months in prison for his part in the scheme.

Turtle smuggling is just one of various environmental crimes that target endangered or prohibited wildlife. Other creatures and items smuggled into or out of the United States include snakes, rhinoceros horns and elephant tusks, as well as various kinds of plants.

“I am pleased with the outcome of the investigation and prosecution to date,’’ said Tom Chisdock, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agent who investigated the case. “It’s been successful due to the cooperation of several state and federal partners.’’ 

Very Rare Turtles Hatch in NYC

The Wildlife Conservation Society's (WCS) Bronx Zoo in New York has welcomed five extremely rare Chinese yellow-headed box turtles.

The hatching marks a significant population boost for the species, since there are only estimated to be 150 left in the wild. Chinese yellow-headed box turtles once flourished in streams in parts of eastern China, but have been pushed to the brink of extinction by human consumption, use in traditional medicine, habitat loss and the pet trade, according to the WCS.

Zoo officials say they had to set the mood to get the rare turtles to breed, which involved creating specific environmental and climate conditions.

Continued:  http://www.livescience.com/25621-very-rare-turtles-hatch-in-nyc.html

73 rare turtles seized at airport-3 suspected smugglers held – via Herp Digest

Staff Correspondent-11/8/12-Traffic

Security personnel and customs officials at Shahjalal International Airport yesterday seized 73 turtles of rare species while being smuggled out through the airport.

The turtles were being smuggled to either Thailand or Singapore, said an official at the airport's Armed Police Battalion (APBn).

The officials also arrested three persons suspecting their link to the smuggling. They are Mohammad Yeasin, Mohammad Sabuj and Mohammad Sohagh.

“The reptiles include rare species like Shila Turtle, Star Turtle and Kali Turtle. These are on the verge of extinction,” Divisional Forest Officer Md Shahabuddin, who inspected the turtles at the airport, told The Daily Star last night.

Security personnel of Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh and customs officials first noticed some suspicious objects in one of the luggage while scanning at Gate No. 3 of the airport around 11:00am.

As the officials asked the owner of the luggage to open it, he said he had left the key outside and left the place hurriedly.

The members of APBn chased him while he fast got into a microbus. The law enforcers managed to halt the vehicle after a while, but the man got down and fled away.

The APBn members later arrested the three from the microbus. The arrestees, however, denied their having any link to the smuggling.

After opening the luggage, the law enforcers found the turtles strapped in four cloth-made sacks.

Earlier on August 6, the APBn members seized 108 Shila Turtles at the airport while being smuggled to Thailand.

TRAFFIC urges consumers not to buy marine turtle products after new report highlights ongoing illegal trade – via Herp Digest

 Beijing, China, 1st November 2012—TRAFFIC is urging holiday makers not to buy marine turtle products through broadcasts in Hainan Province on local radio FM886.

 The FM886 radio campaign aims to raise awareness among local fishermen, souvenir shop owners and tourists about the ongoing poaching, illegal processing and trade in marine turtles. Three key messages are being broadcasted at least nine times per day until March 2013. 

Hainan Province was chosen for the campaign after ongoing TRAFFIC market surveys found the illegal trade in marine turtle parts rising there and in Guangxi Province. In 2009, TRAFFIC surveys found 4,812 marine turtle products for sale in 57 shops in Hainan, while in July 2012 the number had risen to 11,255 products in 92 shops. 

The survey results were revealed today in a new report, Market Forces – An Examination of Marine Turtle Trade in China and Japan. The report finds significant growth of the trade in China and persistent demand from the bekko industry in Japan as factors influencing source country turtle populations in the Coral Triangle region, particularly Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. 

Asian countries, especially China and Japan, have a long history of using marine turtles and their products as luxury goods, souvenirs and traditional medicine. 

“With Hainan a popular holiday destination and many thousands of visitors each year, there is a huge demand for souvenirs, but we would urge visitors not to buy goods made from marine turtles, which are being sold illegally,” said James Compton, TRAFFIC’s Senior Programme Director for Asia & the Pacific. 

“Anyone buying or selling such goods faces prosecution and harsh sentences under Chinese law and is guilty of contributing to the decline in marine turtle populations throughout the region.” 

Marine turtles are poached for their tortoiseshell scutes as well as for their meat and eggs. All species are banned from international commercial trade under CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), and in China they are listed as national second-class protected animals under the Wild Animal Protection Law. 

In Japan, a persistent demand exists for highly decorative bekko pieces manufactured from Hawksbill Turtle shells, while in China the main demand is for jewellery and whole ornamental specimens, as well as scutes for use in traditional medicine. 

Significantly, the Chinese government has acknowledged the seriousness of this problem and in June this year, the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Public Security and General Customs launched a joint enforcement action against the illegal trade. 

TRAFFIC has supported this initiative through working with local government authorities. In July 2012, more than 110 fisheries enforcement officers from 29 border checkpoints, along with 10 officers from the Industry & Commerce department and border police took part in an enforcement training workshop supported by TRAFFIC in Haikou, Hainan Province. 

In Malaysia and the Philippines, where marine turtles are sourced, TRAFFIC provided similar training in 2011 for 30 enforcement officials working inside one of the Coral Triangle’s transboundary protected areas. Trainings in Indonesia and Viet Nam are also pending. These activities are being conducted under the auspices of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Wildlife Enforcement Network (ASEAN-WEN). They have been accompanied by a review of national laws pertaining to turtles in Southeast Asia. 

 “Strengthening law enforcement is critical to deterring the illegal trade in marine turtles and the poaching of these animals in source regions,” said Lida Pet Soede, leader of WWF’s Coral Triangle Programme, based in Indonesia.

 “We are happy to see the Chinese government paying increased attention to this illegal trade as part of its focus on combating the wildlife crime whose consequences are felt well beyond China’s borders.”

 TRAFFIC’s work on combating the illegal trade and reducing the demand for marine turtle products in China is generously supported by WWF’s Coral Triangle Programme.

Shelling out- Rare turtles in Beijing now face the threat of life as a pet – via Herp Digest

Global Times 6/12/12, By Matthew Jukes-While BMWs, Gucci handbags and Bordeaux wines remain the foremost status symbols of China's nouveau riche, conspicuous consumption doesn't end there for young people in the capital. Exotic pets have become one of the latest fads to strike the nation, drawing the ire of animal rights campaigners.  

Last year, a coal baron bought a rare Tibetan Mastiff for around 10 million yuan ($1.5 million), and breeders revealed a boom in sales around the country. But the trend for fauna as status symbols didn't just stop with millionaires. Other exotic creatures, including spiders and reptiles, some imported from abroad, have become fair game when decorating the decadent apartments of Beijing. Among them the endangered Chinese box turtle, a former restaurant delicacy which is now being kept as a pet. 

"From both the perspective of animal rights and environmental protection, I would say that it's absolutely wrong to keep an exotic animal as a pet, let alone an endangered one," said Qin Xiaona, director of the Capital Animal Welfare Association. "I understand that some people may buy them in pursuit of some kind of rare excitement, or maybe they are just curious about a new animal. But there are plenty of domesticated animals that are far more suitable to keep as pets, such as dogs, cats and fish, why not stick with those?"

The Chinese box turtle has always been in high demand in China. The shells were prized for their use in fortune telling and traditional medicine, while restaurants valued the flesh as a hotpot delicacy. The latest incarnation for the creatures as pets has only served to increase demand and prices. 

"The turtles are so expensive because of their rarity," said Liu Xiaoxu, a licensed seller of the turtles online. "The female box turtle only lays eggs twice a year and only about two eggs each time. Also, unlike many other species, box turtles are amphibian, which makes them stand out as pets."

Liu is selling the turtles for around 1,000 yuan each, and claims to have sold four or five in just the last two weeks. He says that his breeds, imported from the south of China, are actually cheaper. Other species, raised in Anhui Province, can sell for double the amount. 

"There's an old saying that Yellow-margined box turtles have the ability to cure cancer. That's not to mention how widely used their rare, compact, domed shells were in fortune telling. Even today they are seen as a symbol of longevity that can ward off evil," added Liu. "But there are people that just treat box turtles as pets. They are usually better-off than most, as the prices are much higher than the red-eared sliders and other species that you can find on the street."

Last week, the Beijing police announced they were going to crack down on vendors selling exotic pets by post. Despite this, the former foodstuff remains listed on online marketplaces, such as Taobao. Other sellers contacted by the Global Times admitted that they could sell up to 1,000 Chinese box turtles each year, mostly to businessmen, and insisted that customers were strictly instructed in how to look after them beforehand. 

A young office worker, who gave his name only as Huang, bought one earlier in the year, and is now keeping it in a basin-like terrarium in the middle of his apartment. While the purchase of a box turtle had seemed like a good idea at the time, his pet care routine is proving to be more work than anticipated.  

"I got him from a tiny boutique. He's almost worth the same in weight as gold," said Huang. "But you have to be careful and wash your hands every time you go near them, as they can spread salmonella. Not to mention the fact that you have to keep giving them fresh foods to keep their health up, and provide them with a lot of space. It's really a lot to think about."

Huang is not alone in his desire to look out for his shelled companion, and a brief search on Chinese microblogging portal Sina Weibo, turns up hundreds of results for turtle fan clubs, care groups and individual pet pages. Behind the vacuous images, close ups and emoticons however, there is a more pressing issue.

Endangered and 'at risk' 

The rarity of the Chinese box turtle has not just been noticed by sellers and pet lovers. It is thought that half of the some 328 species of turtles and tortoises still extant in the world are now endangered or nearing extinction. Most species of the Asian box turtle genus have been listed on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) red list as "at risk." In China, a license is required to sell them, to prove that they have not been sourced from the wild. 

Creatures taken out of their own natural habitats, or kept in unfamiliar conditions can suffer, while owners who are unaware of the hidden risks can receive injuries or illness, suggests Qin. She added that keeping exotic pets can be dangerous both for the animals and their owners and high demand for such pets can have knock-on effects on the market. 

On 24 May this year, Taiwanese media reported that a shipment containing 811 endangered turtles, including box turtles, had been stopped from taking its payload over to the Chinese mainland. The turtles were thought to be heading for the pet markets of Guangdong Province, as well as local restaurants. 

"China's market is so huge that any demand here can bring about the killing and capture of animals in other parts of the world," added Qin. "The number of creatures captured may increase out of a motivation for profit, just as has happened over the last six years with rhino horns and ivory.  All animals have their position in nature, including turtles. So I am 100 percent sure that keeping exotic turtles will break this delicate balance."

Qin wanted to remind our readers that it is illegal to keep wild animals at home or at any organization that is not licensed by the Forestry Bureau, and urged people not to buy endangered or exotic pets. If they have already done so, they should keep them in the best possible fashion after seeking professional advice.

Jiang Jie contributed to this story