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Hong Kong Customs officers intercepted an elderly woman at the Lo Wu Control Point on Thursday for allegedly attempting to smuggle half a kilogram of live beetles into the city.
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The operation took place yesterday when Customs officers at the Arrival Hall stopped a 68-year-old local female passenger.
A search of her trolley revealed a cache of live beetles weighing approximately five hundred grams.
Officers seized the insects, which carry an estimated market value of nearly HK$2,000, and arrested the traveler on the spot.
Following the arrest, customs authorities handed the suspect and the seized insects over to the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department for a comprehensive follow-up investigation.
Government officials have warned travelers that importing live plant pests, or any flora infested with them, without prior official authorization is a serious offense.
Under Hong Kong's strict import and pest control regulations, anyone convicted of illegally bringing unauthorized plant pests into the territory faces a maximum fine of HK$10,000 and up to six months in prison.
