West Kowloon seizure nets 398 exotic live animals
SingTao · 1 SOURCESabout 3 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Customs officers at West Kowloon Station recently uncovered a live-animal smuggling case involving a male traveller heading into mainland China. He was stopped after failing to make a declaration and after an X-ray scan of his suitcase showed numerous slender tube-like containers inside. Officers then found 398 live insects and reptiles packed in transparent test tubes and other containers, including scorpions, tarantulas and protected species listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. The man told officers the animals were intended for sale in the mainland market for profit as exotic pets
Key Points
- The case was detected during routine supervision at West Kowloon Station when a shirt-wearing male traveller entered the customs control area without making a declaration
- An X-ray image of his suitcase showed densely packed slender containers resembling test tubes, prompting officers to stop him for a detailed inspection
- Customs officers found 398 live animals in total, stored in transparent tubes and assorted containers inside the suitcase
- The seized animals included four snakes, 50 spiny scorpions, 40 Vietnamese peacock mantises, 30 Laotian scorpions and 214 coastal isopods and smooth woodlice
- Identification by the Shenzhen Customs Animal and Plant Inspection and Quarantine Technology Center found Mexican red rump tarantulas in CITES Appendix II and Caribbean multicoloured spiders in Appendix III (European Union)
Why It Matters
The seizure shows how cross-boundary passenger routes can be used to move live exotic animals into the mainland pet trade, creating enforcement and biosecurity risks linked to undeclared wildlife transport. It also underlines that bringing in alien species without approval, or carrying endangered species across the border, can trigger criminal liability under the relevant laws and regulations