Hong Kong – Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected smuggled live lobsters (with photo)

     Hong Kong Customs yesterday (October 21) mounted an anti-smuggling operation at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Port and detected a suspected smuggling case involving a cross-boundary private car. About 194 kilograms of unmanifested live lobsters with an estimated market value of about $240,000 were seized.

     Customs yesterday intercepted an outbound seven-seater private car which was claimed to have nothing to declare at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Port. Upon inspection, a total of 10 boxes of unmanifested live lobsters, weighing about 194kg, were seized in the mid row passenger seats and boot of the car. A 46-year-old male driver was subsequently arrested.

     Smuggling is a serious offence. Under the Import and Export Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing or exporting unmanifested cargo is liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

     Customs will continue to combat smuggling activities by use of cross-boundary private cars with firm enforcement action based on risk assessment and intelligence analysis.

     Members of the public may report any suspected smuggling activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002/).