B.C. Man Faces $8,600 Fine Following Bear Parts Trafficking Sting

A B.C. man has been fined over $8,600 after admitting to the illegal purchase of black bear parts.

Hong Tao Yang, 52, pleaded guilty to two counts of trafficking bear paws and one count of wildlife trafficking in 2022 and 2023.

The Conservation Officer Service (COS) launched an investigation after receiving a tip about someone at a Maple Ridge scrap metal facility seeking to buy bear paws. An undercover officer posed as a hunter, building a rapport with Yang and ultimately selling him 10 bear paws and several bear kneecaps for $320 over three meetings.

During these transactions, the officer repeatedly informed Yang that the purchases were illegal. Despite this, Yang proceeded, and the court heard he lacked the necessary permits to possess wildlife in B.C.

Yang’s lawyer emphasized that he had no prior criminal record and argued he did not fully grasp the gravity of his actions. The lawyer explained that the animal parts were not resold but used by family members for traditional Chinese medicine.

“Possessing these parts is illegal, whether for personal use or commercial purposes,” Conservation Officer Jordan Ferguson told Global News. Ferguson warned that even personal purchases create a market that can lead to increased trafficking and harm to wildlife populations.

The judge acknowledged Yang’s clean record, guilty plea, and cultural motivations but stressed the importance of deterring others from similar offenses. Illegal wildlife trafficking, the judge noted, poses a significant threat to animal populations and ecosystems.

Yang was fined $2,500 for each offense—the minimum penalty—along with a 15% victim surcharge, giving him 18 months to pay the total.

This case underscores the COS’s commitment to addressing wildlife trafficking and enforcing conservation laws.