Hong Kong Customs yesterday (December 29) detected a suspected sea-bound cargo smuggling case and seized about 9 200 kilograms of suspected red sandalwood logs, an endangered species, and about 2 100kg of wood dust from a container. The total value of the seizure was about $5.7 million.
Customs officers, through risk assessment, selected a 20-foot container, arriving from India and declared to contain "accessories of sanitary ware", for inspection at the Customs Tsing Yi Examination Compound. The wood logs and wood dust were found behind a large batch of sanitary ware inside the container.
As the suspected endangered species wood logs and wood dust were not declared on the manifest, they were seized by Customs officers for further investigation.
Under the Import and Export Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing unmanifested cargoes is liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.
Under the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing an endangered species without a licence is liable to a maximum fine of $5 million and imprisonment for two years.
Ends/Wednesday, December 30, 2015
