Hong Kong Customs Seizes 714 Endangered Bird Eggs Worth $10 Million at Airport

Hong Kong Customs seizes eggs of suspected scheduled endangered bird species

Hong Kong Customs yesterday (December 12) seized 714 eggs of suspected scheduled endangered bird species, with an estimated market value of about $10 million, at Hong Kong International Airport.

A 26-year-old male passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Thailand yesterday (December 12). He was intercepted for customs clearance at the arrivals hall of the airport. Customs officers found the batch of bird eggs inside three paper boxes in his carry-on baggage. Upon inspection by officers of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD), the bird eggs were suspected to be endangered species listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and regulated under the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance (Cap. 586) in Hong Kong.The man was subsequently arrested by Customs officer.

The arrested man was charged with illegal import of an Appendix II species. He will appear at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts on December 15.

Under the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance, any person importing, exporting or possessing specimens of endangered species not in accordance with the Ordinance commits an offence and will be liable to a maximum fine of $10 million and imprisonment for 10 years upon conviction with the specimens forfeited.

Members of the public may report any suspected smuggling activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

Hong Kong Customs seizes eggs of suspected scheduled endangered bird species Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs seizes eggs of suspected scheduled endangered bird species Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Grading of beach water quality released

The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (March 13) released the latest grading of water quality for 10 gazetted beaches that are open for swimming, including six that are open to swimmers all year round and four others that are open for swimming since March 1.

Seven beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1) and three as Fair (Grade 2).

Grade 1 beaches are:

Clear Water Bay Second Beach

Silver Mine Bay Beach

Deep Water Bay Beach

Silverstrand Beach

Golden Beach

Stanley Main Beach

Repulse Bay Beach

Grade 2 beaches are:

Big Wave Bay Beach

Lido Beach

Casam Beach

Compared with the grading released last week, there was no change in the grading for these beaches.

Under the present grading system, beaches are classified into four grades, namely Good (Grade 1), Fair (Grade 2), Poor (Grade 3) and Very Poor (Grade 4), according to the level of E. coli in the water. Grades are calculated on the basis of the geometric mean of the E. coli counts on the five most recent sampling occasions.

While the ratings represent the general water quality at the beaches, an EPD spokesman reminded members of the public that water quality could be temporarily affected during and after periods of heavy rain. Bathers should avoid swimming at beaches for up to three days after a tropical cyclone or heavy rainfall.

A summary of beach grades is published weekly before the weekend. The latest beach grades based on the most current data may be obtained from the EPD's website on Beach Water Quality (www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline, 2511 6666. Members of the public can also obtain the latest daily water quality forecast information for all beaches that are open for swimming through the EPD's dedicated webpage on the beach water quality forecast (www.epd.gov.hk/en/BWQForecast).

Source: AI-found images