Customs seizes two suspected endangered live turtles
RTHK · 2 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong Customs said it seized two live turtles suspected to be controlled endangered species at the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Control Point on Thursday. The animals, with an estimated market value of about HK$3,000, were found in a plastic bag carried by a 50-year-old local man arriving in Hong Kong, who was arrested.
Key Points
- Customs officers intercepted the 50-year-old local male traveller at the arrival hall of the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Control Point on Thursday, 22 October.
- After inspecting the man's plastic bag, officers found two live turtles and estimated their market value at about HK$3,000.
- Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department officers attended the scene and initially identified the turtles as endangered species listed in the appendices to CITES.
- In Hong Kong, such species are regulated under the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance, according to the authorities.
- The case has been referred to the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department for follow-up investigation, while Customs warned against carrying controlled items across Hong Kong's boundary.
Why It Matters
The case means the investigation will now focus on whether the traveller had lawful authority to bring controlled species into Hong Kong and what enforcement action may follow under local endangered-species rules. For travellers, the seizure is also a reminder that even small-scale cross-boundary carriage of protected wildlife can trigger arrest and referral for specialist investigation.