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Hong Kong Customs and Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) have joined the Consumer Council in clamping down on illicit crocodile meat.
In an effort to deter the malpractice of making false claims about crocodile meat or selling the same without proper licence/permit, Customs and AFCD conducted an operation on November 12 to follow up cases referred by the Consumer Council.
And last week, Customs carried out undercover operations, targeting suspicious activities involving illicit crocodile meat.
On Monday (November 12), an operation was conducted against six shops suspected to have misrepresented water monitor lizard meat as crocodile meat.
Eight catties of alleged dried crocodile meat (marked as either dried fish meat or crocodile meat) not covered by valid export documents were seized from two shops for testing by the Government Laboratory.
Another 6.75 catties of dried meat (marked as dried fish meat) displayed for sale in a shop were seized for testing.
No irregularity was detected at the other three shops during the operation.
Two men and one woman, aged between 43 and 51, were arrested. They have been released on police bail pending further investigation.
In following up cases referred by Consumer Council, Customs officers conducted sample test purchases at 10 shops, and forwarded 10 samples (about five ounces each) to the Government Laboratory.
Test reports subsequently showed that two samples were crocodile meat, six were monitor lizard meat, while one could not be identified.
According to the laboratory, one sample is probably the meat of a snake, but the exact species is yet to be confirmed.
Customs investigations are continuing and officers are tracing the sources of the fake meat.
Shops supplying fake crocodile meat will be prosecuted under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance.
The Chief Trade Controls Officer, Mr Wong Yiu-cheung, said today (November 14), ¡§To protect consumer interest and endangered species, Customs and AFCD are committed to eradicating illicit crocodile meat from the market and bringing offenders to justice.
"In addition to tightening spot checks, we will conduct undercover operations to deter misrepresentation of dried seafood in the course of sale," Mr Wong said.
Shops claming any other meat to be crocodile meat may have contravened the Trade Descriptions Ordinance. It is an offence to sell goods with false trade descriptions to a material degree. The maximum penalty upon conviction is an imprisonment for five years and a fine of $500,000.
All species of crocodile and monitor lizard and many species of snake are endangered species listed under the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance. Import, export, re-export or possession of specimens of these scheduled species, whether alive, dead, their parts or derivatives are subject to licence control and, in some cases, even prohibited. Traders are required to obtain permits before importing these products.
Anyone found guilty of importing, exporting, re-exporting or possessing an endangered species for commercial purpose can be fined a maximum of $5 million and be jailed for two years.
Consumers should check the relevant export permits before making purchase.
If they suspect a shop may have applied false trade descriptions to goods, they can call the 24-hour hotline 2545 6182.
Ends/Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Issued at HKT 14:38
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