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Recent arrests in Malaysia have drawn attention to the illegal turtle trade – a thriving black market industry worth billions that’s decimating vulnerable turtle populations to meet demand.
Earlier this month, Malaysian authorities apprehended six members of an international wildlife smuggling syndicate known as the ‘Ninja Turtle Gang.’
During the raid, they rescued approximately 200 turtles and tortoises, their total value exceeding $52,000.
This was the second of two recent operations, the first taking place in June of this year, during which 400 tortoises valued at $805,000 were rescued.
Of the species rescued, many are critically endangered, including the Chinese stripe-necked turtle, black pond turtle, snapping turtle, sulcata tortoise, leopard tortoise, and red-footed tortoise.
They are typically smuggled into Malaysia by road or hidden in suitcases on commercial flights, exploiting for profit the widespread belief throughout Asia that turtles and tortoises bring good luck and prosperity.
These colorful turtles are a huge target in the illegal wildlife trade. It is illegal to collect or possess wild eastern box turtles, as well as many other native turtle species, without a permit.
📷: eastern box turtles confiscated from an illegal shipment
2/3 pic.twitter.com/vxTjtYsMMS
— U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (@USFWS) June 11, 2024
The prolific black market for turtles
Due to harvesting methods and trade practices, many of the turtles involved in the illegal trade are endangered species.
This is the case for red-eared sliders, wood turtles, and Blanding’s turtles, which are protected under international conservation agreements and are highly valued on the black market.
Interpol has listed the black market for illegal wildlife products to be worth up to $20 billion annually.
Because it’s so lucrative, poaching and trading often have roots in organised crime, ranging from armed violence to corruption.
In the market-specific turtle trade, just one of the sea creatures can easily fetch a price of up to $10,000, depending on the reptile’s rarity and physical characteristics.
Highlighting the impact of this, a report by the World Wildlife Fund has revealed that vertebrate animal populations have decreased significantly by 58% in half a century – the second-leading cause of this their exploitation.
The issue is particularly prevalent in South East Asia, with Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines spearheading the illegal trade of turtle and tortoise products.
From these countries, the products are smuggled into mainland China, Japan, and Taiwan, where demand is especially high.
It’s also an issue in Western nations, namely the US, which exported an estimated 127 million turtles between 2002 and 2012. Additionally, between 1998 and 2021, US officials intercepted the illegal trade of at least 24,000 freshwater turtles and tortoises from 34 native species.
