Red sandalwood is listed as endangered under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. Photo: Handout
Source:
https://scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3156401/hong-kong-customs-seizes-hk10-million-worth-protected Law and Crime
Hong Kong customs seizes HK$10 million worth of protected wood weighing nearly 2 tonnes
- Shipments of endangered red sandalwood were bound for mainland China for use in luxury furniture and carvings, source suggests
- Smuggling the wood – known as ‘red gold’ for the high price it commands – carries maximum jail sentence of 10 years
Customs has made a series of wood smuggling busts involving ‘red gold’. Photo: Xiaomei Chen
Hong Kong customs has confiscated nearly HK$10 million (US$1.3 million) worth of rare protected wood hidden in three air consignments from India and Dubai over the past 10 days.
A law enforcement source said he believed the illegal consignments of endangered red sandalwood – weighing nearly 2 tonnes in total – were bound for mainland China where they would be used for making luxury furniture and carvings.
Two of the shipments, declared as carrying ceramic flower pots, arrived in Hong Kong from India on Monday and Wednesday last week.
Customs officers at the airport’s cargo terminal found about 800kg of suspected red sandalwood inside 10 carton boxes within the two shipments, which were selected for inspection following a risk assessment.
The third seizure was made on Tuesday when customs officers inspected an air consignment from Dubai declared to be carrying guitar parts.
The law enforcement source said officers selected the cargo for inspection because it was not common for guitar parts to be mailed to the city from Dubai.
“About 1.1 tonnes of suspected red sandalwood was found hidden in two large wooden boxes,” he said.
The Customs and Excise Department said a total of 1.93 tonnes of suspected red sandalwood with an estimated market value of about HK$9.63 million was seized from the three consignments.
The three cases were handed over to the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department for follow-up investigation. No arrests have been made so far.
Red sandalwood, known as “red gold” due to its high value, is listed as endangered under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
In Hong Kong, importing or exporting endangered wood without a permit is punishable by up to 10 years in jail and a HK$10 million fine.
Customs urged members of the public to report suspected smuggling activities to its 24-hour hotline on 2545 6182.