A man from Louisiana has been federally charged in the United States after authorities accused him of illegally capturing and trafficking more than 1,800 protected turtles in an exotic wildlife smuggling operation worth over US$550,000 (approximately RM2.5 million).
According to the United States Department of Justice, Albert Bazaar was arrested and later detained by a federal magistrate judge in Phoenix over allegations linked to turtle trafficking and conspiracy offences under the federal Lacey Act.
The indictment, unsealed in San Francisco, alleged Bazaar illegally collected protected turtle species from Florida between January 2022 and December 2023 before arranging for them to be exported overseas.
Prosecutors claimed the operation involved more than 1,700 loggerhead musk turtles, over 100 stripe-neck musk turtles and 15 striped mud turtles.
Authorities alleged the turtles were removed from their natural habitats in Florida before being shipped through San Francisco to buyers in Taiwan as part of the exotic pet trade.
Investigators said the animals were falsely declared as captive-bred in order to obtain export permits.
According to prosecutors, fake wildlife declarations were allegedly submitted to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service claiming the turtles had been legally bred in Alabama and Georgia.
Authorities also alleged Bazaar participated in at least eight illegal transactions involving turtles sold to an exporter based in San Francisco.
The indictment further claimed the exporter financed Bazaar’s trips from Louisiana to Florida, including helping fund the purchase of a boat and van allegedly used during the operation.
The protected turtle species involved are safeguarded under both Florida wildlife laws and the international Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which regulates the global trade of endangered wildlife.
Officials said the case forms part of a larger federal crackdown on wildlife trafficking operations across the southeastern United States.
The investigation was conducted under “Operation Southern Hot Herps”, a joint enforcement effort targeting illegal turtle poaching and reptile trafficking networks.
Several agencies assisted in the operation, including Homeland Security Investigations, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
If convicted, Bazaar could face up to five years in prison and fines of up to US$250,000 (approximately RM1.1 million) for each charge brought against him.
