Zhuhai's Gongbei Customs has recently apprehended a woman at Jiuzhou checkpoint for attempting to smuggle 9.22 kilograms of endangered stony corals into the mainland, according to a statement from Gongbei Customs.
According to the statement, Gongbei Customs noticed an abnormality when scanning the baggage of a woman who had passed through the “green channel.” Upon inspection, they found a coral product in a cardboard box carried by the woman. After appraisal by the Gongbei Customs Technology Centre, it was confirmed that the coral product belonged to the order Scleractinia* and weighed about 9.22 kilogrammes. This type of stone coral is listed as a protected species under Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
In the statement, Gongbei Customs reminded the public that according to CITES and the Wildlife Protection Law of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), as well as the regulations on the import and export of endangered wild animals and plants, it is prohibited to trade, carry, or mail endangered species and their products across border checkpoints without legal import and export certificates. The statement noted that serious violations may lead to criminal liability.
* Scleractinia, commonly known as stony corals or hard corals, are characterised by their ability to secrete a rigid calcium carbonate skeleton, which forms the structural basis of coral reefs. They form the foundation of tropical coral reefs, which are biodiversity hotspots. – DeepSeek
This undated handout photo provided by the Gongbei Customs yesterday shows the smuggled stony corals.
