Zhuhai’s Gongbei Customs announced in a statement yesterday that its officers at Jiuzhou Port seized 49 plants, including 12 listed as endangered.
According to the statement, on September 3, customs officers at the Jiuzhou Port Export Cross-Border E-Commerce Channel discovered anomalies in the X-ray images while inspecting two packages declared as “artificial potted plants.”
The inspection revealed 49 plants wrapped in multiple layers of toilet paper inside the boxes.
According to appraisal by a professional institution, the statement pointed out that 12 of the 49 seized plants were identified as Agave victoriae-reginae (Queen Victoria Agave) and Aloe castanea (Cat’s Tail Aloe), which are protected species listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) of Wild Fauna and Flora.
In accordance with regulations including the CITES and the People’s Republic of China Regulations on the Import and Export of Endangered Wild Animals and Plants, it is prohibited to send endangered species and their products by mail across the border, except when in possession of an import/export permit for wildlife. The statement noted that serious violations may lead to criminal liability.
Wanzai Customs seizes 55 kg of tobacco
Meanwhile, Zhuhai’s Gongbei Customs announced in a separate statement on Tuesday that its officers at Wanzai Port seized 55 kilograms of tobacco.
According to the statement, last Wednesday, customs officers at the Wanzai Port Export Cross-Border E-Commerce Channel discovered discrepancies in the declaration of three boxes purportedly containing “storage boxes and canvas bags” during an X-ray inspection.
A follow-up inspection unearthed 44 bags of cigarette tobacco instead, weighing 55 kg.
Gongbei Customs reminded the public that according to the Tobacco Monopoly Law of the People’s Republic of China, the export of tobacco requires approval from the administrative department under the State Council in charge of the central government’s tobacco monopoly.
This undated handout photo provided by Zhuhai’s Gongbei Customs yesterday shows two boxes of plants seized by its officers at Jiuzhou Port on September 3.
This undated handout photo provided by Zhuhai’s Gongbei Customs on Tuesday shows tobacco seized by its officers at Wanzai Port last Wednesday.
