HONG Kong airport officials recently seized 63 live turtles suspected to be of an endangered species and said to have been smuggled into the country by a 37-year-old Malaysian man.
The turtles have an estimated market value of HK$819,000 (RM497,000).
A statement from the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department said the suspect was a flight passenger who arrived in Hong Kong from Malaysia on March 31. He was to have boarded a flight to the Philippines from there.
"When Customs officers examined the man's check-in baggage, they found 63 live turtles after which they were inspected by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD).
"The live turtles were suspected to be endangered species listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and regulated under the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance (Cap. 586) in Hong Kong," read the statement.
The case has been handed over to the AFCD for follow-up action.
Under the law, any person found guilty of importing, exporting or possessing specimens of endangered species is liable to a maximum fine of HK$10 million and jail term of 10 years . – The Vibes, April 11, 2024
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