A public tip uncovered a wildlife trafficking operation that moved illegal bear parts across provincial borders, resulting in thousands of dollars in fines and long-term hunting bans for a Maidstone-area resident and a related conviction in British Columbia.
The investigation began in March 2022 after the General Investigations Section of the Ministry of Community Safety received information about suspected trafficking of bear gall bladders. Conservation officers launched their inquiry in Maidstone, about 56 kilometres east of Lloydminster, and later expanded it into British Columbia.
The Saskatchewan portion of the case concluded in Lloydminster Provincial Court.
On Nov. 24, 2025, Weol Ran Lee, of Maidstone, pleaded guilty to trafficking in wildlife, including black bear paws and gall bladders. She was fined $7,000 and banned from hunting for five years.
Illegal transport across provinces
Lee also admitted to unlawfully transporting wildlife parts between provinces after purchasing bear paws illegally in Saskatchewan and taking them into Alberta.
For that offence, she was fined $5,000, prohibited from possessing bear parts for five years, and ordered to forfeit money seized in connection with the offence.
Earlier in the investigation, a family member of Lee pleaded guilty in British Columbia in August 2025 to unlawful possession and wildlife trafficking involving bear parts. That individual was fined $9,875.
Why it matters
The Government of Saskatchewan says wildlife trafficking undermines lawful hunting, devalues public natural resources, and threatens wildlife populations and ecosystem health.
Officials also credited information from the public as a critical factor in stopping the illegal activity.
Anyone who suspects wildlife, fisheries, forestry, or environmental violations can contact Saskatchewan’s Turn in Poachers and Polluters program at 1-800-667-7561 or report online. Tips can be submitted anonymously and may be eligible for cash rewards through the Turn in Poachers and Polluters program.
Read more: The Border Brief – Jan. 12, 2026
