Rampant trade in antiques smuggling feared

A law is needed urgently to protect national treasures and fight a rampant underground trade despite government figures which show there has not been a single antiques smuggling case since 1998, critics warn.

While Customs officials say the figures prove Hong Kong has effective border controls and enforcement against smuggling, critics argue that there has been insufficient enforcement and that there is a lack of proper antiques protection laws.

Customs and Excise Department statistics recorded just 25 cases involving the smuggling of antiques, artefacts and cultural items between 1991 and 1998, after which there was not one case on record.

But Jason Yuen King-yuk, antiques expert and former chairman of the disbanded urban council's museums select committee, warned it might have become more convenient for mainland traders to smuggle artefacts into Hong Kong after the handover because of increasing contacts between both sides.

'At present, there is no legislation curbing smuggling activities at the border. For the tomb-raiders and the smugglers, Hong Kong is an attractive market,' he said.

Artefacts were being smuggled into the SAR from places as far away as Shandong and Shaanxi provinces, Mr Yuen said, adding that legislation was needed to stop the rampant trade.

There are no specific antiques protection laws in Hong Kong, and in the past Customs officers have had to charge suspects with failure to declare manifests or with false declarations.