01-11-2011, 02:19 PM
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Two Men Arrested in Turtle Smuggling Sting at LAX
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LOS ANGELES - Two Japanese nationals have been arrested at LAX on federal animal smuggling charges for allegedly trying to smuggle turtles and tortoises into the U.S.
Authorities seized 55 reptiles which were concealed in snack food boxes inside a suitcase.
Atsushi Yamagami, 39, and Norihide Ushirozako, 49, both Japanese citizens are charged in a two-count criminal complaint filed this morning that alleges one count of illegally importing wildlife into the United States, a smuggling offense that carries a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison, and one count of violating the Endangered Species Act, a misdemeanor that carries a statutory maximum penalty of one year in prison.
The turtles and tortoises were all species protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), an international treaty that protects species being threatened by international trade. Species protected under CITES can legally traded only if the exporting country issues a permit.
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http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktl...,6711413.story
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