A Chinese national is in federal custody in New Jersey after investigations said he financed an international smuggling ring that shipped more than 1,500 endangered turtles from the United States to China and Hong Kong, valued at more than US$2.2million (approximately HK$17million).

The turtles, many of which were bound by duct tape, stuffed into socks and shipped in mislabelled packages, were sold for as much as US$20,000 (approximately HK$155,000) each on the Asian pet black market, authorities have said.

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