Customs busts smuggling of seven pets worth HK$210,000, arresting two

Two people were busted and arrested for attempting to smuggle pets worth HK$210,000 via Sha Tau Kok in March.

Expensive pets have a strong market, and the smuggling of animals into Hong Kong has become rampant.

Chinese and Hong Kong customs together mounted an operation in December last year, successfully dismantling an illegal animal smuggling syndicate.

They came together again during March this year, and successfully intercepted a man carrying a handbag, who had just arrived in Hong Kong via Chung Ying Street in Sha Tau Kok, at a security checkpoint on March 24, and found him concealing three cats and one dog.

The pets did not have an import permit, and the man was arrested on site.

Separately, at around 7 pm on March 26, a woman also came to Hong Kong via Chung Ying Street.

Customs officers found three cats in her handbag, for which she also did not have an import permit.

She was arrested on suspicion of "illegally importing animals".

A customs spokesman did not rule out that the two arrested are members of the same pet smuggling group.

The arrested man and woman, aged 60 and 61, both claimed to be unemployed.

The six cats and one dog seized were about two months old.

Their breeds were Maine Coon cats, British Shorthair cats, Ragdoll cats and Bichon Frisé.

Each of them are worth about HK$30,000, with a total value of HK$210,000.

They are currently under the care of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department and will be under quarantine and observation for 120 days.