California Couple Sentenced for International Wildlife Trafficking Ring

A California couple has been sentenced for their involvement in an international wildlife trafficking ring that moved protected animal parts between the United States and Vietnam. Linh Luu and Kevin Le, residents of Anaheim, pleaded guilty in federal court in Oregon to violating the Lacey Act, which prohibits the illegal import and export of wildlife.

Each received three years of probation and a $10,000 fine for their participation in the scheme, according to the Department of Justice. From September 2019 to May 2021, Luu and Le processed over $51,000 in payments to facilitate the illegal movement of wildlife items between Oregon and Vietnam.

The operation involved shipping American black bear gallbladders and cougar bones to Vietnam. In return, the couple received lion teeth, rhino horns, and a tiger pelt, which were brought into Oregon. In one instance in December 2020, Luu and Le met with an undercover federal agent and accepted $12,000 for a rhino horn, discussing methods to circumvent U.S. banking regulations. The horn parts were later shipped to Oregon disguised as household decorations.

The trafficking involved items protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), an international agreement aimed at regulating and protecting threatened species. The Lacey Act, established in 1900, further prohibits the illegal trade of wildlife.

This case is part of a broader effort to combat wildlife trafficking. In a separate case in early October, three men pleaded guilty to illegally hunting bobcats to ship their pelts to Canada, using bait to lure and kill the animals before falsely tagging the pelts for export. Additionally, in August, a woman was arrested at the U.S.-Mexico border with 69 live animals, including venomous snakes and a baby crocodile, reportedly concealed in pillowcases.