Zhuhai’s Gongbei Customs announced in a statement yesterday that its officers seized 50 lizards smuggled from Macau at the Gongbei checkpoint on March 15.
Gongbei Customs identified the smuggler as a male from the Chinese mainland surnamed Chen.
According to the statement, on that day, customs officers at the Gongbei checkpoint’s arrival inspection hall noticed Chen’s unusual demeanour when he entered Zhuhai through the checkpoint’s “green channel”.
Upon investigation, customs officers discovered 50 live lizards concealed in a laundry bag inside a plastic box carried by Chen.
The 50 live lizards were later identified by the Gongbei Customs Technical Center as belonging to the genus Hydrosaurus.
According to DeepSeek, Hydrosaurus is a genus of large, semi-aquatic lizards commonly known as sailfin dragons or sailfin lizards. They are native to Southeast Asia (Indonesia, the Philippines, and Papua New Guinea). They have a sail-like crest – a prominent fin running down their tail, formed by enlarged vertebral spines, and they are large, reaching 1 metre or more. The reptiles live near rivers and mangroves and are excellent swimmers, often escaping predators by diving and running across water by using their tail fin and hind legs.
Gongbei Customs reminded the public in the statement that, in accordance with relevant laws and regulations, the import of live animals without prior approval is prohibited. Those who violate these regulations will be subject to legal liability as stipulated by law.
This undated handout photo provided by Zhuhai’s Gongbei Customs yesterday shows one of the 50 lizards seized from its officers at the Gongbei checkpoint’s arrival hall on March 15, smuggled by a mainlander arriving from Macau.
