An Abbotsford, B.C., man who was caught buying black bear paws and kneecaps in a sting operation pleaded guilty to charges under the Wildlife Act in Port Coquitlam Provincial Court on Wednesday.
Hong Tao Yang, 52, originally faced five counts, but agreed to plead guilty to two charges of trafficking in bear paws and one charge of trafficking in wildlife meat. The other two charges were stayed.
Yang was fined $8,625, the statutory minimum for the three offences, and given 18 months to pay.
An agreed statement between Crown and defence described how in early 2022 the B.C. Conservation Officer Service (COS) received a tip about an employee at a Maple Ridge scrapyard who wanted to buy black bear parts.
Once the COS determined the employee to be Yang, an undercover officer posing as a hunter was sent to build a rapport with him.
On Oct 27, 2022, the undercover officer sold Yang four black bear paws for $100. According to the statement, the officer informed Yang that buying bear parts was illegal. Yang asked that “bear shins” be included in the next transaction.
On May 25, 2023, the undercover officer sold Yang four more black bear paws and two bear kneecaps for $120. He bought four more black bear paws and two bear kneecaps again on Oct. 5, 2023, after which he was arrested.
Crown and defence agreed that Yang was not dealing in bear parts for commercial gain, rather obtaining them for personal use.
The defence said Yang wanted the bear paws and kneecaps because of Chinese cultural beliefs in the medicinal and health value of bear parts. He said Yang obtained them for his family and that the bear parts “were cooked and consumed in traditional-style treatments.”
Judge Nicholas Preovolos said even though Yang wasn’t involved in poaching and didn’t profit financially, his actions were “not a trivial event by any stretch of the imagination.”
“Mr. Yang, unwittingly or not, became part of a serious problem, which is the illegal trafficking of wildlife meat,” Preovolos said.
Jordan Ferguson with the COS said it’s important to bring public attention to cases like Yang’s.
“Being in possession of these parts is illegal, no matter if it is just for personal use,” he said. “When you create a market just by purchasing these items, it can kind of escalate. And if more people start doing it, then we have issues with animal populations.”
Although there are set fines connected to the charges, Yang asked the court to reduce his fines below the statutory minimums because of financial hardship.
Preovolos didn’t agree, finding Yang had a net worth of over $1 million, mostly due to a house he owns in Abbotsford.