Turtle Smuggling Busted in Canada: Chinese Woman Pleads Guilty

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In a bizarre turn of events, a Chinese woman, Wan Yee Ng, has pleaded guilty to attempting to smuggle 29 eastern box turtles into Canada by kayaking across Lake Wallace. Ng, who was living in Canada, planned to sell the turtles on the black market in Hong Kong for a whopping $1,000 each. Agents found the live turtles individually wrapped in socks in her heavy duffle bag. Eastern box turtles are a protected species, known for their vivid, orange and yellow markings atop a dark brown shell. Smuggling these creatures is not only illegal but also threatens their survival. Ng faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. This raises the question - why are these innocent creatures being smuggled and sold on the black market for such high prices?

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