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Travellers should not bring any game, meat or poultry meat into Hong Kong illegally, a government spokesman said today (April 18).
"To prevent passengers from importing meat and poultry meat which has not undergone proper inspection, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) and the Customs and Excise Department have stepped up enforcement action against travellers who bring meat and poultry meat illegally into Hong Kong," the spokesman said.
From April 1-15, Customs officers at various control points intercepted 95 travellers who were bringing meat or poultry meat into Hong Kong illegally and handed them over to FEHD for follow-up action. About 418 kilogrammes of meat and poultry meat were seized.
Under the Imported Game, Meat and Poultry Regulations of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance, it is an offence to bring any meat or poultry meat into Hong Kong without an official certificate. The maximum penalty is a fine of $50,000 fine and an imprisonment for six months.
The spokesman said FEHD had put up posters and pull-up displays and distributed leaflets at the control points to remind travellers not to bring into Hong Kong any meat or poultry meat without health certificates.
"The two departments will continue to take stringent enforcement action to safeguard food safety and public health," the spokesman said.
Ends/Friday, April 18, 2008
Issued at HKT 12:40
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