Chinese court tries first case of smuggling over 1,700 turtles

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The intermediate people's court in Zhuhai City, south China's Guangdong Province held a public trial on Wednesday for the smuggling of 1,760 red-eared slider turtles into China. It is the first public prosecution case in China regarding the illegal introduction of an invasive alien species.

The defendant surnamed Yi, was accused of bringing the large amount of turtles into China without a valid quarantine certificate in October 2022. The estimated value of the turtles was 88,000 yuan (about $12,149).

Red-eared sliders are listed as one of the 100 most invasive species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and listed on the List of Invasive Alien Species in China.

Given the number of turtles and their significant value, the procuratorate proposed that Yi be held criminally responsible for illegally introducing the invasive alien species. Currently, the case is under trial.

The intermediate people's court in Zhuhai City, south China's Guangdong Province held a public trial on Wednesday for the smuggling of 1,760 red-eared slider turtles into China. /CMG

In 2021, China amended its criminal law to include the new crime of "illegally introducing, releasing, or discarding exotic species." In recent years, customs officers in many cities have intercepted harmful organisms being secretly transported into the country.

The introduction of an alien species into a new environment could cause serious damage to the local ecosystem and biodiversity.