Hong Kong customs officers seized 986 smuggled live turtles worth about HK$1 million from a private car at the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge control point. The reptiles were hidden in seven black plastic bags in the vehicle’s boot. A 42-year-old driver and a 50-year-old passenger were arrested and charged with attempting to export unmanifested cargo and animal cruelty.
Hong Kong customs officers on Tuesday discovered 986 smuggled live turtles worth about HK$1 million (US$127,620) hidden in seven black plastic bags in the boot of a private car attempting to leave the city at the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge control point. They arrested the 42-year-old driver and a 50-year-old passenger, a spokesman for the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department said on Wednesday. Both men were charged with one count of attempting to export unmanifested cargo. They were also charged separately by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department with one count of animal cruelty. The case will be mentioned at West Kowloon Court on Thursday. Customs said it would continue to combat cross-boundary smuggling activities through risk assessment and intelligence-led enforcement.