Kinmen:Taipei Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration (CGA) announced that a man was recently indicted for attempting to smuggle a marmot and eight turtles into Kinmen from China by concealing them in his clothing.
According to Focus Taiwan, the suspect, identified by the surname Chiu, was apprehended on July 14 as he disembarked from a ferry arriving from Quanzhou, China. The CGA stated that officers from its Investigative Branch intercepted Chiu based on intelligence about travelers smuggling prohibited items.
During a search, officers discovered eight black-breasted leaf turtles wrapped in elastic stockings and taped to Chiu's inner thigh, along with a sedated marmot concealed on the other thigh. The animals were reportedly in distress due to heat and lack of space.
Chiu has been charged with violating Taiwan's Act on Wildlife Conservation and the Act on the Prevention and Control of Infectious Animal Diseases. The CGA highlighted the potential lucrative black market value of the turtles, which could have fetched up to NT$75,000 each if misrepresented as the rare Ryukyu black-breasted leaf turtles.
The marmot, noted for its aggressive nature and potential as a host for pneumonic plague, posed a significant public health risk had it bypassed quarantine procedures. The animals have since been transferred to the Kinmen County Animal and Plant Disease Control Center.
The CGA emphasized the environmental and health dangers posed by smuggling live animals and encouraged the public to report suspected illegal activities via their 24-hour hotline.
