British Columbia resident fined $6,000 for federal and provincial wildlife offences involving turtles

June 10, 2026 – Surrey, British Columbia – Environment and Climate Change Canada

On May 21, 2026, Thai Hoang Khoi Le of Surrey, British Columbia, was fined $6,000 after pleading guilty at the Provincial Court of British Columbia to two wildlife offences under federal and provincial law. The offences include one count under subsection 6(3) of the Wild Animal and Plant Protection and Regulation of International and Interprovincial Trade Act (WAPPRIITA) and one count under section 33(1) of the British Columbia Wildlife Act. The fine will be directed to the Government of Canada’s Environmental Damages Fund.

Environment and Climate Change Canada enforcement officers launched an investigation in November 2022 after receiving information that Le had ordered a protected snapping turtle from a seller in another province and had it shipped to his residence. They executed a search warrant at Le’s residence where they found several protected reptiles, including snapping turtles, softshell turtles, and a caiman.

Based on investigative findings, officers confirmed that Le had intentionally transported a snapping turtle across provincial borders without a permit as required by WAPPRIITA. Snapping turtles are listed under Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which means their interprovincial and international trade is regulated in Canada.

Officers also confirmed that Le was in possession of a snapping turtle and a softshell turtle, without the authorization required under the British Columbia Wildlife Act.

Turtle populations are highly vulnerable to human disturbance and removing them from their natural habitat can hinder recovery efforts. As a result, the acts of possessing and transporting protected turtles are regulated, and enforcement officers work to ensure compliance with regulations. Respecting these requirements helps protect turtle populations and the ecosystems they depend on, both in Canada and worldwide.

All reptiles associated with this case have been forfeited to the Crown.

Quick facts

• Globally, there are over 350 species of turtles and tortoises, more than half of which are threatened.
• CITES is an international agreement that Canada joined in 1975 that regulates, or in some cases prohibits, trade in specific species of wild animals and plants, as well as their respective parts and derivatives.
• CITES Appendix II lists species that are not necessarily threatened with extinction now, but that may become so unless trade is closely controlled.
• WAPPRIITA is the Canadian federal law through which Canada meets its obligations to regulate trade in species listed under CITES.
• The count under subsection 6(3) of WAPPRIITA relates to transporting a snapping turtle from one province to another without the appropriate permit.
• The count under section 33(1) of the British Columbia Wildlife Act relates to possessing a snapping turtle and a softshell turtle without the necessary permits.
• Environment and Climate Change Canada enforcement officers work with provincial partners to enforce wildlife laws that protect biodiversity.
• If you suspect a wildlife crime (poaching, smuggling, trafficking, etc.), contact the Public Inquiries Centre at enviroinfo@ec.gc.ca or call Crime Stoppers to submit an anonymous tip at 1-800-222-8477, or 1-800-711-1800 if you are in Quebec.
• Created in 1995, the Environmental Damages Fund is a Government of Canada program administered by Environment and Climate Change Canada. The Fund directs monies received from fines, penalties, court orders, and voluntary payments to projects that will repair environmental damage or benefit the environment. The Fund aims to invest in areas where the environmental damage caused by the violation has occurred.

Environment and Climate Change Canada has created a free subscription service to help Canadians stay current with what the Government of Canada is doing to protect the natural environment.

Contacts

Media Relations
Environment and Climate Change Canada
819-938-3338 or 1-844-836-7799 (toll-free)
media@ec.gc.ca