Zhuhai’s Gongbei Customs announced in a statement yesterday that its officers seized 472.9 grams of stony coral products at Wanzai Port (border checkpoint).
According to the statement, on December 28, customs officers at the Wanzai Port departure hall noticed an anomaly in a Macau traveller’s luggage during the X-ray inspection of outbound passengers’ luggage.
Upon inspection, customs officers discovered two suspected coral products concealed in a paper bag, weighing 472.9 grams.
Upon appraisal by the Gongbei Customs Technology Centre, the two coral products were identified as species belonging to the order Scleractinia, under the subclass Hexacorallia of the class Anthozoa – commonly known as stony coral. All species within the order Scleractinia are listed in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and are classified as items prohibited from exiting the Chinese mainland.
In the statement, Gongbei Customs reminded the public that according to CITES and the Wildlife Protection Law of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), as well as the regulations on the import and export of endangered wild animals and plants, it is prohibited to trade, carry, or mail endangered species and their products across border checkpoints without legal import and export certificates. The statement noted that serious violations may lead to criminal liability.
This undated handout provided by Zhuhai’s Gongbei Customs yesterday shows 472.9 grams of stony coral products seized by its officers at Wanzai Port on December 28.
Gongbei customs seizes 86,000 cigarettes at HKZMB
Meanwhile, Zhuhai’s Gongbei Customs announced in a separate statement yesterday that its officers seized 86,000 cigarettes at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HKZMB).
According to the statement, on January 8, custom officers at Zhuhai Port’s (border checkpoint) arrival lane noticed an anomaly during a routine X-ray inspection of a single plate cross-border vehicle arriving from Hong Kong.
Upon follow inspection, customs officers discovered that a total of 430 cartons, comprising 86,000 cigarettes, including brands such as Marlboro and Taiwan’s Alishan, concealed in various spots in the vehicle such as the under the passenger seat, rear seats, in the boot and spart tyre compartment.
Gongbei Customs reminded the public that in line with the Chinese mainland’s Tobacco Monopoly Law the state has implemented a monopoly management system for the production, sale, import, and export of tobacco products, operating under a tobacco monopoly licence system. The export of cigarettes requires approval from the administrative department under the State Council in charge of the tobacco monopoly and the acquisition of a licence granted by the monopoly.
This undated handout photo provided by Zhuhai’s Gongbei Customs yesterday shows 86,000 cigarettes seized by its officers at Zhuhai Port of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HKZMB) on January 8.
