Woman Jailed 10 Months Over Illegal Shark Fin Import
HK01 · 2 SOURCES1 day ago2 MIN
Summary
A 29-year-old Chinese female traveller was sentenced in the District Court on October 16 to 10 months' imprisonment for illegally importing controlled dried shark fins into Hong Kong. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department said customs officers discovered the shipment in her luggage after she arrived at Hong Kong International Airport on March 22 from Brazil via Ethiopia. The dried shark fins weighed about 52 kilograms and had an estimated market value of about HK$200,000. The court adopted a starting point of 15 months and reduced the sentence by one-third after the defendant pleaded guilty.
Key Points
- The traveller arrived at Hong Kong International Airport on March 22 after flying from Brazil and transiting through Ethiopia.
- Customs officers inspected her baggage and found a batch of suspected controlled dried shark fins concealed inside.
- Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department officers examined the goods and confirmed they were controlled dried shark fins weighing about 52 kilograms.
- Authorities estimated the seized fins were worth about HK$200,000 and prosecuted the woman for illegal import of endangered species.
- Under Hong Kong law, illegal import, export or possession of endangered species can bring a HK$10 million fine, 10 years' imprisonment and confiscation.
Why It Matters
The case shows that Hong Kong authorities are continuing to use airport inspections and wildlife protection laws to target cross-border trafficking in endangered species. For travellers and traders, it is a reminder that some shark and ray species listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species are tightly controlled in Hong Kong, with severe criminal penalties for breaches.