AFCD probes Lo Wu seizure of four endangered turtles
HK01 · 5 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong Customs said it intercepted a 40-year-old local man at the arrival hall of Lo Wu Control Point on 9 September and found four live turtles in his personal luggage, with the animals suspected to have been illegally imported into Hong Kong. AFCD officers examined the turtles at the scene, initially identified them as endangered species listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, and took over the case for follow-up investigation.
Key Points
- Customs officers stopped the 40-year-old incoming local male traveller at the Lo Wu Control Point arrival hall on 9 September.
- A search of his personal luggage uncovered four live turtles suspected to be illegally imported controlled endangered species.
- Authorities estimated the four turtles had a market value of about HK$5,000 after the seizure at the checkpoint.
- AFCD staff conducted an on-site inspection and initially identified all four turtles as CITES-listed endangered species.
- The animals are regulated in Hong Kong under the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance, and the case was transferred to AFCD.
Why It Matters
The case now moves into AFCD's enforcement process under Hong Kong's endangered-species protection law, rather than ending with a border seizure alone. Customs also reiterated that illegal import, export or possession of endangered species can lead to a maximum fine of HK$10 million and 10 years' imprisonment, with the items liable to forfeiture.