Hong Kong customs seizes 2,500 tonnes of meat bound for mainland China so far this year, more than in previous 11 years combined
- Smuggling gangs lured by profits of HK$20,000 per tonne to illegally move the frozen food by sea into Guangdong province
- Busts by weight in the first six months of this year alone were 40 per cent up on the entire 11-year period to 2019
Hong Kong customs has seized about 2,500 tonnes of frozen meat destined for mainland China so far in 2020, dwarfing the confiscation total from the previous 11 years combined, a senior official revealed on Friday.
The meat originating from countries including the United States, Brazil and Spain could be worth HK$150 million (US$19.4 million) over the border in Guangdong province and beyond if successfully smuggled, according to law enforcement sources.
Seizures in the first six months of this year alone were 40 per cent up on the 1,760 tonnes recorded over the entire period between 2009 and 2019, the Customs and Excise Department said on Friday.
A source said the lure of large profits had drawn maritime smugglers into running the illegal logistic operations between Hong Kong and the mainland, despite the enhanced enforcement measures in place. Gangs can pocket more than HK$20,000 per tonne from the enterprise.
They use barges as floating storage centres, anchored in western Hong Kong waters off the airport’s third runway, which is still under construction, before loading bags of meat onto speedboats and cargo vessels bound for the mainland.