Customs seizes live pests, frozen pet food at Man Kam To
Thestandard · 1 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago2 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong Customs said it intercepted a suspected smuggling case involving an inbound truck at Man Kam To Control Point on Thursday, seizing about 118 kilograms of undeclared live plant pests and frozen pet food with an estimated market value of HK$35,000.
A 40-year-old local male driver was arrested at the scene, while suspected illegal imports including live plant pests and frozen white mice were transferred to the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department for further follow-up and investigation.
Key Points
- Customs officers found the unmanifested cargo during a routine vehicle inspection after it had been deliberately mixed with other declared goods.
- The seized items included mealworms, moth larvae, fruit flies, cockroaches and frozen white mice among the undeclared cargo.
- The total haul weighed about 118 kilograms and carried an estimated market value of around HK$35,000, according to Customs.
- The case involved an inbound truck stopped at Man Kam To Control Point on Thursday, where the 40-year-old local driver was arrested.
- Customs said the investigation is continuing and that officers will keep targeting cross-boundary smuggling through risk assessment and intelligence analysis.
Why It Matters
The case points to the dual border-control risks posed by undeclared cargo that may breach both import documentation rules and controls on animals or plant pests.
For Hong Kong, follow-up by Customs and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department could affect enforcement against similar cross-boundary shipments and remind traders of penalties that can include heavy fines and jail terms.