Several travelers were caught trying to smuggle endangered species and relevant products into China in border entry in Guangzhou and Shenzhen Cities of south China's Guangdong Province.
At the Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, customs officers intercepted a passenger during routine screening of an incoming flight. The X-ray images of the passenger's luggage show four cylindrical metal cans containing numerous egg-shaped items.
"These cans showed clear signs of having been resealed. They were repacked with bird eggs wrapped in cotton and tissue paper. Two of the eggs had already hatched, while the remaining eggs exhibited signs of nestlings' movement under strong light, indicating the presence of live embryos," said Qi Wei, a customs officer at the airport.
The eggs were sent to a specialized rescue organization, where they were successfully incubated. A total of 100 parrot eggs have been hatched, with the eggs and nestlings identified to be 19 species of endangered parrots.
In a separate case, customs officers at an aviation mail processing center near the Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport discovered intricately carved hollowed-out ivory ball hidden inside a package declared as a "vase".
The carved items are confirmed to be made of African elephant ivory, according to Xiao Junhua, a customs officer. The African elephant is listed as a protected species under Appendices of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), an international agreement signed between governments that aims to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten the survival of the species.
In Shenzhen's Futian port, four travelers have recently been found carrying endangered stony corals during a security inspection.
They were dressed in bulky clothing, appeared nervous, and failing to declare their belongings.
"After inspection, we discovered 19 transparent plastic bags taped to the four passengers' waists, chests, and hips, each containing what appeared to be live coral. After counting, a total of 161 pieces of suspected live coral, weighing 3.15 kilograms, were seized," said Fu Junwei, a customs officer at the port.
Further analysis confirmed that the corals belong to the order Scleractinia, a group of species listed as endangered and national-level second-class protected species in China. The customs reminded that under the relevant laws and regulations, it is prohibited to import or export endangered species or their products without obtaining proper permits. Individuals who are involved in severe violations constituting a crime will be prosecuted for criminal liability in accordance with law.
Travelers caught trying to smuggle endangered species into China
