Luohu border passenger caught hiding live fish and crab
SingTao · 2 SOURCES1 day ago2 MIN
Summary
Shenzhen customs said Luohu Port recently uncovered a case involving the smuggling of live animals through the inbound passenger inspection channel. Officers stopped a male traveller after noticing that he had not made a declaration, his trouser pockets were visibly bulging, and he appeared tense and walked stiffly. A search found two live fish and one live crab packed separately in transparent sealed plastic bags filled with water, hidden in his crossbody bag and trouser pockets. The Shenzhen Customs Animal and Plant Inspection and Quarantine Technical Center later identified the species as a Red Sea sailfin tang, a scissortail sergeant, and an arrow crab, all described by authorities as unrecorded alien species in mainland China.
Key Points
- The General Administration of Customs announced on Monday, September 21, that Luohu customs in Shenzhen had recently detected the case in the inbound passenger channel
- According to Sing Tao, officers noticed the man failed to declare anything and that both trouser pockets were abnormally swollen during routine supervision
- Customs said the traveller kept his gaze fixed ahead, looked nervous, and walked unnaturally, prompting officers to intercept him for inspection.
- Inspectors first found one live fish in a transparent sealed plastic bag with water inside the man’s crossbody bag, then found a live crab and another live fish in his left and right trouser pockets.
- The identified species were the Red Sea sailfin tang, the scissortail sergeant, and the arrow crab; authorities said none had prior records in mainland China.
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong readers who regularly use nearby boundary crossings, the case is a reminder that carrying live animals across the border without approval can trigger enforcement even when the number involved is small. The official description of the seized animals as unrecorded alien species also underlines the biosecurity risks that customs authorities are trying to prevent at busy land checkpoints