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Clifford Lo

Hong Kong customs officers have made their biggest seizure of bird’s nests at a land border crossing, discovering HK$32 million (US$411,000) worth of the delicacy hidden in a truck bound for mainland China.
Inspector Davis Kwok Chun-ting of customs’ syndicate crimes investigation bureau said on Friday that the haul, found in a truck at the Lok Ma Chau border crossing on Wednesday, was intended to meet demand for the high-value product on the mainland in the run-up to the festive season.
Kwok said bird’s nests were subject to tariffs of about 25 per cent on the mainland and if the goods had been successfully smuggled across the border, “criminals could have evaded as much as HK$8 million in tariffs”.
Customs officers seized 438kg (965lbs) of bird’s nests in 27 cardboard boxes hidden among three of 12 pallets in the truck, declared as carrying game consoles.
According to the Customs and Excise Department, the Shenzhen-bound truck, driven by a 58-year-old man, was stopped for inspection at the checkpoint around lunchtime on Wednesday.
Acting Senior Inspector Chung Yuen-fong of customs’ land boundary command said a further inspection was made after X-ray scans revealed suspicious images at the centre of the truck’s cargo hold.
“The appearance of some cardboard boxes [loaded onto three of the pallets] was noticeably different from the other boxes,” he said. “Besides having crude packaging, the surfaces had no labels showing what was inside. Some boxes also showed signs of having been repackaged.”
Chung said smugglers attempted to avoid detection by mixing the contraband goods with declared cargo.
The driver was detained on suspicion of attempting to export unmanifested cargo – an offence punishable by up to seven years in prison and a HK$2 million fine.
Kwok said the haul was estimated to be worth HK$32 million in Hong Kong and was the biggest seizure yet of smuggled bird’s nests at a land checkpoint.
Investigations showed the consignor of the cargo was a non-registered company used by the smugglers in an effort to evade arrest.
Kwok said customs officers were looking into the source and final destination of the contraband products.

The truck driver has been released on bail pending investigation and further arrests have not been ruled out.
Delicacies such as bird’s nests were among items in high demand on the mainland, especially during the festive season, Kwok said.
The inspector explained that illegal smuggling operations sought to avoid hefty tariffs and stringent import restrictions by mainland authorities.
He pledged to enhance enforcement actions at various control points to combat cross-border smuggling activities.


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Hong Kong customs seizes HK$32 million of bird’s nests in largest land haul

Hong Kong customs officers have found more than 438kg of smuggled bird’s nests in a truck bound for mainland China. Photo: Handout

Hong Kong customs found the bird’s nests hidden in boxes declared as carrying video game consoles. Photo: Handout

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Customs arrested two men during last week’s anti-smuggling operation. Photo: Yik Yeung-man

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Customs displays evidence seized from the cargo container. Photo: Jelly Tse

An X-ray scan had revealed suspicious items in the cargo, authorities said. Photo: Jelly Tse

News

Hong Kong

Law and Crime

Truck stopped at Lok Ma Chau crossing and inspected after X-ray shows boxes of delicacy hidden among video game consoles


Truck stopped at Lok Ma Chau crossing and inspected after X-ray shows boxes of delicacy hidden among video game consoles.


Hong Kong customs seizes HK$32 million of bird’s nests in largest land haul

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Truck stopped at Lok Ma Chau crossing and inspected after X-ray shows boxes of delicacy hidden among video game consoles

Truck stopped at Lok Ma Chau crossing and inspected after X-ray shows boxes of delicacy hidden among video game consoles