Hong Kong Customs today (January 7) seized about 26 kilograms of suspected worked ivory with an estimated market value of about $520,000 at Hong Kong International Airport.
Customs officers intercepted a 43-year-old male passenger at the airport this afternoon. The man arrived in Hong Kong from Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. During Customs clearance, a total of about 26 kg of suspected worked ivory were found concealed in 30 tin foil boxes inside his check-in baggage.
The case was handed over to the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department for follow-up investigation.
This is the first suspected ivory smuggling case detected by Customs at the airport this year. It is also the 10th case detected in the past two months. A total of about 74 kg of suspected worked ivory were seized in the previous nine cases.
Under the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing or exporting an endangered species without a licence is liable to a maximum fine of $5 million and imprisonment for two years.
Ends/Saturday, January 7, 2017
