A Calgary man has been fined $35,000 for the illegal importation and sale of live turtles, turtle eggs, and turtle husbandry items. The investigation that led to the charges involved turtles covertly marked with UV ink and an undercover wildlife officer posing as a Canada Post employee. The turtles were imported from China and declared as “children’s building blocks.” The defendant, Zhongmin Zheng, pleaded guilty to two charges under the Wild Animal and Plant Protection and Regulation of Interprovincial Trade Act. Zheng admitted to importing eight packages of turtles from China between January 1 and May 23, 2022, without the required permits. The seized turtles and eggs were brought to the Calgary Zoo, which set up spaces designed for reptiles, with temperature and humidity controls. Zheng was given three years to pay his fine and is banned from owning any live animal for two years.