Hong Kong Customs Seizes Endangered Reptiles Worth $173,800 at Airport; Man Arrested for Illegal Importation

Hong Kong Customs seizes reptiles of suspected scheduled endangered species

Hong Kong Customs yesterday (June 9) seized seven snakes, 19 lizards and five turtles of suspected endangered species, with a total estimated market value of about $173,800, at Hong Kong International Airport.

A 31-year-old incoming local man arrived in Hong Kong from the Netherlands via Shanghai yesterday. He was intercepted for customs clearance at the arrival hall of the airport. Customs officers found the batch of reptiles inside his check-in baggage. Upon inspection by officers of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD), the batch of reptiles was 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 officers. The case was handed over to the AFCD for follow-up investigation.

The arrested man will be charged by the AFCD with one count of illegal import of an Appendix II species and one count of cruelty to animals.

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.

Also, according to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance (Cap. 169), any person who, by wantonly or unreasonably doing or omitting to do any act, causes any unnecessary suffering to any animal commits an offence and will be liable to a maximum fine of $200,000 and imprisonment for three years upon conviction.

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 reptiles of suspected scheduled endangered species Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

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

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

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

HKMA demonstrates potential of tokenisation to corporate treasury community

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) organised a seminar on Corporate Treasury x Tokenisation: The Hong Kong Advantage in Action earlier this week. This event was the first one organised by HKMA in recent years specifically targeting at corporate treasurers and relevant stakeholders. Over 150 participants attended the event, including representatives from about 50 corporates, 30 financial institutions, and various treasury associations.

Tokenisation holds the potential to enhance efficiency and reduce transaction cost, and is gradually gaining attention among corporate treasurers. As such, the HKMA organised this seminar to demonstrate recent use cases of the technology in corporate treasury operations with a view to enriching practitioners' knowledge in the field and encouraging the industry to join HKMA's initiatives, such as Project Ensemble which aims at fostering the development of Hong Kong's tokenisation ecosystem, as well as to consider issuing tokenised bonds through leveraging HKMA's support measures.

During the event, participants exchanged views in two lively panel conversations covering the Project Ensemble use cases for real-time treasury management, and leveraging tokenisation in bond issuance and trade finance. Panellists generally shared the view that the potential associated with tokenisation is immense, and welcomed the ongoing efforts to promote greater market adoption of the technology, thereby bringing a larger and more active ecosystem.

Following this event, the HKMA will follow up with corporate treasury centres (CTCs) which have indicated interest in the field of tokenisation with a view to exploring plans for future collaboration. In line with the Government's Action Plan to Promote the Development of CTCs in Hong Kong announced yesterday (June 9), the HKMA will also engage CTCs on other topics of interest so as to promote their use of Hong Kong's financial platform and obtain market feedback.

HKMA demonstrates potential of tokenisation to corporate treasury community Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

HKMA demonstrates potential of tokenisation to corporate treasury community Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases