Chinese tourist detained over box of coral reef ‘souvenirs’ from Weizhou Island
- University lecturer arrested as he tried to leave the nature reserve with 10 pieces of coral packed in a styrofoam container, police say
- Island introduced strict environmental protection regulation last year
A Chinese tourist has been detained by police on an island in southern China, accused of breaking off coral from a reef and trying to take it away.
Police said the man was being held for questioning after he was found with the coral as he tried to leave Weizhou Island last week, Beijing Youth Daily reported on Monday.
A popular tourist spot, the volcanic island is a nature reserve located in the Beibu Gulf, or the Gulf of Tonkin, in the Guangxi Zhuang region.
His case is the first to be investigated since island authorities introduced a strict environmental protection regulation – including a ban on non-biodegradable plastic bags and new cars run on fossil fuels – in July.
Police said they had acted on a tip-off, arresting the man as he tried to leave the island on Thursday with 10 pieces of coral packed in a styrofoam box, according to the report.