Earlier this week, we posted an Associated Press story from the Arizona-Mexico border about a catapult used to fling marijuana across into the United States.
Now comes a story from the Associated Press about turtle-smuggling ring that ran between Japan and Los Angeles:
A grand jury in Los Angeles has indicted two men from Japan for allegedly smuggling more than 50 live turtles and tortoises into the United States.
U.S. attorney’s office spokesman Thom Mrozek says Atsushi Yamagami and Norihide Ushirozako were indicted Friday on counts of animal smuggling, conspiracy and wildlife trafficking. Each man could receive up to 26 years in prison if convicted of all charges.
The two Osaka men were arrested this month at Los Angeles International Airport. Federal prosecutors say they hid the reptiles in snack food boxes found in a suitcase.
Turtles in snack-food boxes? So much for fast food.
At least they weren’t lobbing them over via catapult.
Gwen Florio
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