An Anaheim couple convicted of illegally trading protected wildlife parts between Oregon and Vietnam has been sentenced to three years of probation and $10,000 in fines each. The case highlights the severe legal consequences of international wildlife trafficking operations involving endangered species.
Federal Charges and Investigation Details
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Linh Lu and Kevin Lee pleaded guilty on the 23rd at the U.S. District Court in Eugene, Oregon, to violating the Lacey Act, which prohibits the illegal trafficking of wildlife. Court records show that between September 2019 and May 2021, the two facilitated financial transactions totaling $51,100, helping an individual in Vietnam bring wildlife parts into Oregon or ship them back to Vietnam.
Seized Wildlife Parts and CITES Violations
The smuggled items included American black bear gallbladders, cougar bones, lion teeth, black and white rhinoceros horn pieces, and tiger skins. Prosecutors stated that the couple met an undercover federal agent in a parking lot in December 2020, receiving $1,200 in cash as a down payment for a partial rhinoceros horn. The two subsequently received additional electronic payments of about $5,000 each, and the rhino horn was shipped to Oregon disguised as a home decor item. Prosecutors explained that this transaction was intended to build trust for a larger future trade.
The wildlife involved in the case are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and cannot be traded commercially without a permit. The couple was confirmed to hold no such permits. The case was investigated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and the Oregon State Police.
