Yeoju Police Arrest Owner of Illicit Sham Crocodile

South Korean police in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province, arrested a man in his 30s for illegally possessing a CITES‑listed first‑class endangered species, a sham crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis). The reptile was captured on the Soangcheon river after a resident reported a "pet‑like" animal on March 18, and was transferred to the National Ecology Center.

Investigators discovered a second endangered animal, a CITES second‑class turtle, at the suspect's residence. The man admitted buying the crocodile online in 2023 for about 1.2 million won and claimed it escaped when he left it outdoors for sunbathing. Authorities have charged him with violating the Wildlife Protection and Management Act and are expanding the probe to trace the trade network and the seller.