Hong Tao Yang of Abbotsford pleaded guilty and was fined nearly $9,000 in Port Coquitlam provincial court for trafficking bear parts in Maple Ridge.
An Abbotsford man was fined and convicted of dealing in bear parts this morning, November 13.
Hong Tao Yang, 52, pleaded guilty to three charges under sections of the Wildlife Act following undercover operations in Maple Ridge in 2022 and 2023.
He was fined $8,625 in the decision by Judge Nicholas Preovolos in Port Coquitlam provincial court.
The court heard how Yang was approached three times by undercover conservationists to buy bear paws and knee pads. Each time he was warned his purchases were illegal, the court heard.
Yang claimed he wanted the animal parts for his personal use for cultural and traditional purposes – not for commercial reasons.
“By engaging in illegal transactions, Mr. Yang has, unwittingly or not, become part of a serious problem, namely the illegal trade in wildlife meat,” Preovolos said, noting that the wildlife trade is a creates a market for the product.
“This is not a trivial violation.”
Yang, a scrap metal worker and father of two, has 18 months to pay the fine.
The remaining charges were stayed by the Crown.
Following the decision, Jordan Ferguson of the BC Conservation Service said the marketing of wildlife parts is becoming more common.
“I think this is a good precedent to get the message out that the Conservation Service Office takes these matters seriously and that we follow up on reports of human trafficking,” he told reporters.
He said the fine is consistent with similar convictions in the province.
“Possession of these parts is illegal – regardless of whether it is solely for personal use,” Ferguson added.
“As the judge said, if you create a market just by purchasing these items, it can escalate somewhat and if more people start doing this, we have problems with animal populations.”