Gongbei Customs said in a statement yesterday that its officers recently intercepted a female border crosser at Zhuhai’s Gongbei checkpoint, as they suspected she was carrying endangered plants in her handbag when entering Zhuhai through the “nothing to declare” channel.
The statement pointed out that the woman, surnamed Hoi, is a Macau resident.
According to the statement, the six endangered plants seized from Hoi comprised four ariocarpus fissuratus, one ariocarpus fissuratus cv.Godzilla and one astrophytum asterias, all listed as protected species under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
Gongbei Customs stressed that carrying or mailing endangered wild animals and plants and their products to the mainland must be approved by the relevant administrative department, while holding the import certificate and taking the initiative to declare the items to customs officers, as otherwise the border crossers face legal action by the judicial authorities.
This undated handout photo provided by Gongbei Customs yesterday shows the six endangered plants seized from a border crosser, comprising four ariocarpus fissuratus, one ariocarpus fissuratus cv.Godzilla and one astrophytum asterias.
