A couple from Southern California admitted to smuggling 911 eggs of endangered species of sea turtles from Mexico into the country.

How the Eggs were Smuggled

Jose Jimenez, 64, and his wife, Olga, 52, from Hemet confessed earlier in February that they gathered the eggs from Olive and Kemp’s ridley turtles. The eggs were reportedly harvested from "clutches" of 100 to 200 eggs laid by the two types of sea turtles.

In 2014, the couple smuggled the eggs by placing them in coolers and hid them beneath layers of ice, fish and shrimp. The coolers were then transported via bus from Nayarit, Mexico and then by a pickup truck across the border in Tijuana, just south of San Diego.

In 2015, the Jimenezes were charged with smuggling, conspiracy and unlawful trafficking of wildlife in San Diego. According to assistant U.S. attorney Melanie Pierson, the indictment was the first time that criminal charges for smuggling sea turtle eggs were made in the Southern District of California.

Aside from pleading guilty to the allegations against them, the Jimenezes also agreed to forfeit the valuable eggs and pay $9,000 to the Mexican government in restitution. The couple is set to appear in court in May. If convicted, they may be imprisoned for up to 50 years. They could also be imprisoned for 20 years and charged with penalties amounting to $250,000.

Sea Turtle Protection

The sea turtles that laid the smuggled eggs are protected by the Endangered Species Act and the 1981 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, effective in both the U.S. and Mexico. These make it unlawful to harvest, smuggle, sell or destroy the eggs or its parents.

Sea turtles are particularly at risk for poaching during arribadas, described as mass nesting events. During arribadas, female turtles lay about 100 eggs and bury these beneath the sand before returning to the ocean. The eggs are also harvested illegally and sold anywhere between $100 and $300 each. Many buyers purchase the eggs to be eaten because they are a popular delicacy and are believed to have aphrodisiac properties.

The Kemp’s ridley turtle is the most endangered sea turtle in the world because of excessive harvesting of its eggs in the past century. Olive and Kemp’s ridley turtles are the smallest sea turtles and are also vulnerable to poachers and fishermen.

More updates and details on the sea turtle egg smugglers and the fate of the endangered animals are expected soon.