Lo Wu customs arrest 70-year-old over endangered bird
HK01 · 4 SOURCES1 day ago2 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong Customs said officers at the Lo Wu control point intercepted a 70-year-old local man arriving in Hong Kong on October 29 and found a live bird in his personal luggage. The bird was estimated to be worth about HK$4,000, and Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department officers who examined it preliminarily identified it as an endangered species listed in the appendices to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. In Hong Kong, such species are regulated under the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance, and the case has been referred to the department for further investigation.
Key Points
- Customs officers stopped the 70-year-old local male traveller in the arrivals hall at Lo Wu control point on October 29.
- A live bird was found inside his personal luggage, with the seized animal estimated to be worth about HK$4,000.
- AFCD officers who attended the scene preliminarily identified the bird as an endangered species covered by CITES appendices.
- The species is regulated in Hong Kong under the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance, authorities said.
- Customs said importing poultry or birds without a valid health certificate is also illegal under public health regulations.
Why It Matters
The case points to dual legal risks for travellers carrying live animals across the boundary: endangered-species controls and animal health import rules both apply. For Hong Kong readers, the penalties cited by authorities are severe, with endangered-species offences carrying a maximum fine of HK$10 million and 10 years' imprisonment, while importing birds without a valid health certificate can bring a fine of up to HK$25,000.