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Customs officers of Shek Chung Au Check Post, in a joint operation with the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD), this morning (March 21) seized 4,018 kg fresh pork which did not have an official health certificate. The seizure from a lorry, which left from Sha Tau Kok Village, was worth about $128,000.
Customs officers intercepted the lorry about 7am and seized 132 bags of fresh pork.
A 38-year-old local male driver was arrested. The case, which was referred to FEHD for follow-up action, was the result of close surveillance checks conducted by FEHD and Customs on target vehicles over the past few days.
In 2005, Customs officers of Shek Chung Au Check Post cracked 16 cases involving importing pork without official health certificate. They seized about 9,833 kg pork, worth about $320,000.
So far in 2006, Customs officers have detected three cases including the current one, seizing 7,335 kg pork without an official health certificate, valued at $233,700.
Any person found guilty of "importing meat without an official certificate" is liable on conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000 and an imprisonment for six months.
Ends/Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Issued at HKT 17:16
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