Operation Flying Turtle: Two Indicted for Turtle Smuggling into the US

Two men from Osaka, Japan who were arrested earlier this month at LAX airport for smuggling live turtles into the United States, were just indicted by a grand jury in Los Angeles. The arrests were tied to an undercover investigation–code named Operation Flying Turtle–that began about a year ago. As part of that, in July 2010, agents infiltrated the operation and purchased 10 protected turtles and tortoises from a person allegedly linked to the two men who were just indicted.  Then, in August, in a related case, a man was arrested at Honolulu International Airport carrying 42 turtles and tortoises hidden in his checked luggage. For more, click here.