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“During customs clearance, customs officers found about
15kg of suspected ivory pieces and products concealed in a
tailor-made vest inside his hand baggage,” the Customs and
Excise Department said.
The haul was estimated to be worth HK$150,000 in Hong
Kong and the man may face prosecution for importing an
endangered species, the department said.
The suspect’s hand baggage was seized alongside about
HK50,000 worth of ivory products.
Officers handed the case to the Agriculture, Fisheries and
Conservation Department for further investigation. The
conservation department oversees ivory matters in the city.
It was the third seizure by customs officers at the airport
in a month. On August 7, an 18-year-old man arriving
from Harare, Zimbabwe, was arrested with 15kg of ivory
products.
On July 27, officers caught a 27-year-old man who had
arrived from Lagos, Nigeria, and seized HK$150,000 worth
of ivory tusks and ivory products. He was convicted of
importing an endangered species and fined HK$62,000.
A state-run newspaper reported in April that a syndicate
behind ivory smuggling provided a “baby rental” service as a
cover to help its smugglers receive less scrutiny while
crossing into the mainland from Hong Kong.
The tactic was revealed after a Hong Kong woman was
arrested at a checkpoint as she tried to smuggle 24 ivory
products into Shenzhen. She was carrying her own baby
when arrested.
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