Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected scheduled dried sea cucumbers and dried fish gills worth about $1.1 million (with photo)

     Hong Kong Customs yesterday (March 7) seized about 191 kilograms of suspected scheduled dried sea cucumbers and 369kg of suspected scheduled dried fish gills, with a total estimated market value of about $1.1 million, at the Kwai Chung Customhouse Cargo Examination Compound.

     Through risk assessment, Customs officers yesterday selected a 40-foot seaborne container, arriving in Hong Kong from Myanmar, for inspection. The batch of dried sea cucumbers and dried fish gills suspected to be scheduled under the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance (Ordinance) (Cap. 586) was found inside the container.

     The case was handed over to the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) for follow-up action.

     Under the Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing, exporting, or possessing any endangered species without a required licence is liable to a maximum fine of $10 million and imprisonment for 10 years. For licensing requirements for the species listed on different appendices, members of the public may visit the website: www.cites.hk. For enquiries, please contact the AFCD through email (hk_cites@afcd.gov.hk) or call 1823.

     Members of the public may report any suspected smuggling activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).