Posted on 09/26/2014 6:57:14 PM PDT by smoothsailing
September 26, 2014
Using information gained from an anonymous tip, U.S. authorities detained a man this summer after noticing ‘irregularly shaped bulges’ in his sweatpants. But this wasn’t the Underwear Bomber 2.0. Instead, a Canadian man had taped 51 live turtles to his legs and groin and was attempting to smuggle them across the border, The Guardian reported.
Kai Xu and his accomplice Lihua Lin were nabbed by U.S. Fish and Wildlife agents near the Detroit border crossing, where the two were attempting to cross into Windsor, Canada. Agents were tipped off by a Detroit UPS employee named “Dave” who contacted the fish and wildlife service and told them to be on the lookout for a seven-pound box labelled, “Live fish keep cool.”
In a dramatic turn of events not often seen in the world of wildlife management, agents put Xu under surveillance on Aug. 5 and observed him hiding behind two semi-truck trailers for around 10 minutes before reappearing with “irregularly shaped bulges under Xu’s sweatpants on both legs,” according to The Guardian.
While Xu was attempting to cross into Canada, Lin was caught at Detroit Metropolitan Airport, where he was trying to board a plane for Shanghai with two checked bags crammed with more than 200 turtles.
U.S. officials told the Guardian that turtle smuggling has increased over the past year due to increased demand in Asian food markets and from collectors.
“These turtles, by the time they get to the end-collector, they can be worth anywhere from $1,300 to $1,500 a turtle,” said Ed Grace, a deputy chief law enforcement officer with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Go figure. An official will nab a turtle toting Canadian but won’t nab a gun toting illegal. Unbelievable.
gotta be on a reptile ping list, pleese.
Nothing more uncomfortable than a tortoise in the hair.
He should have tried smuggling mock turtles instead. They make good soup.
So it was turtles all the way down?
Only 51? Must have been a rookie.
Turtles in pants ping!
When I was little I remember being told that if a turtle bites you it will not let go until it thunders.
I found this to be untrue when my young son was bitten by a turtle. We put antibiotic ointment on the bite and from that day until this we still call it “turtle bite cream”.
Is that an alligator snapping turtle?
YES.
Haha, that reminds of the time as a boy that I held a pet box turtle up to my brother for him to say “goodbye” to it before we headed to church: My brother leaned in a little too close and the turtle chomped onto my brother’s nose! I don’t remember exactly how we got it to let go, but my Mom says it did hang on for a little while.
No that’s a regular snapper caught here in Michigan. They don’t get as big as alligator snappers but they’re just as mean.
That is an Alligator snapping turtle (Austin Reptile Center)
a Canadian man had taped 51 live turtles to his legs and groin
Canadian man: Doc, what is it? Am I ok?
Doc: Dave, I’m afraid you’ve got turtles. It’s... I’m sorry to say, it’s spread to your groin. There isn’t a lot we can do at this point.
I am sure that this arrest was the culmination of a years-long investigation involving several Federal agencies.
But they can’t catch that guy who walked across the border dressed as Bin Laden and carrying a Al-Queda flag.
I’m sorry- I meant Austin Reptile Service.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alligator_snapping_turtle#Conservation_status
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