| Man sentenced in LA in turtle smuggling case
LOS ANGELES (AP) - A man accused of smuggling dozens of live turtles and tortoises from Japan into the U. "I am extremely ashamed and remorseful about my actions," he wrote. , Yamagami sold or traded them at pet shows and used the proceeds to purchase snakes, turtles and tortoises native to North America, which were then smuggled to Japan for resale, authorities said. Atsushi Yamagami was given 21 months and ordered to pay out more than $18,000 in fines after pleading guilty in August to one felony count of smuggling. Yamagami, 39, and Norihide Ushirozako, both of Osaka, were arrested in January 2011 at Los Angeles International Airport as part of an undercover investigation by federal agents known as Operation Flying Turtle. District Judge George King, Yamagami apologized and promised never to engage in animal smuggling again. S. In a letter to U. between 2004 and 2011. Most of the animals are protected by an international endangered species agreement and can only be imported with a permit. After the animals were smuggled into the U. The 55 turtles and tortoises were hidden in snack food boxes found in a suitcase. Yamagami paid couriers to hide wildlife inside luggage, according to court documents. Ushirozako also pleaded guilty in August to a smuggling charge and was released from federal custody after being sentenced to time served, which totaled about seven months. |
Tuesday, 1 May 2012
Man sentenced in LA in turtle smuggling case
