China News Service, Hong Kong, December 1st. Hong Kong Customs reported on December 1 that customs officers seized about 75 kilograms of suspected controlled dried seahorses at Lok Ma Chau Control Point and Tuen Mun on November 25 and 26, respectively, with an estimated market value of about 100. Ten thousand Hong Kong dollars.
This is the largest case involving a controlled dried seahorse detected by the Customs this year.
Customs officers passed a risk assessment on November 25 and selected and inspected an express cargo from Indonesia via Shenzhen that was reported to contain scrub at the Lok Ma Chau control point. Approximately 25 kilograms of suspected controlled dried seahorse were found in the cargo. .
After following up the investigation, Customs officers arrested a 63-year-old man suspected of being involved in the case in a residential unit in Tuen Mun the following day and seized another 50 kilograms of suspected dried seahorse in the unit.
The case is still under investigation and the arrested man is currently on bail pending further investigation.
The Hong Kong Customs urges the public to be vigilant and refrain from participating in smuggling activities in the interest of money, refrain from accepting any person to hire or entrust to transport controlled goods in and out of Hong Kong, and refrain from rashly assisting others in transporting goods without determining the properties of the goods.
In addition, members of the public should also avoid passing personal information or addresses to others for the purpose of receiving parcels or goods.
According to Hong Kong's "Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance", anyone who illegally imports and exports endangered species can be fined up to 10 million Hong Kong dollars and imprisoned for 10 years upon conviction.
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