FRIDAY, MAY 31, 1935
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MARNING ON IMPORT OF ENDANGERED SPECIES
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THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT TODAY (FRIDAY) WARNED HOLIDAY MAKERS AND TRADERS THAT THEY FACED HEAVY PENALTIES FOR ILLEGALLY IMPORTING INTO HONG KONG ANY ENDANGERED SPECIES OF ANIMALS AND PLANTS.
THE WARNING WAS ISSUED FOLLOWING TWO RECENT COURT CASES IN WHICH TWO MEN WERE FINED $750 AND $800 AT FANLING MAGISTRACY THE BIRDS FOR ILLEGALLY BRINGING INTO HONG KONG FIVE KESTRELS. WERE CONFISCATED.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID THAT DESPITE REPEATED APPEALS, THERE HAD BEEN AN UPSURGE IN THE NUMBER OF ILLEGAL IMPORTS.
+ IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF THIS YEAR ALONE THERE WERE 219 CASES, WHICH IS MUCH HIGHER THAN THE 39 CASES RECORDED FOR THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR, HE SAID.
THE MOST COMMON ITEMS INTERCEPTED ARE HAWKS, KESTRELS, OWLS, PANGOLINS AND STUFFED SPECIMENS OF SEA TURTLES AND CROCODILES.
IMPORT THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT IT WAS AN OFFENCE TO POSSESS, OF EXPORT ENDANGERED SPECIES (LIVING OR STUFFED SPECIMENS) WITHOUT THE PRIOR AUTHORISATION OF THE DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES.
+VIOLATION OF THE ANIMALS AND PLANTS (PROTECTION OF ENDANGERED SPECIES) ORDINANCE MAY LEAD TO A FORFEITURE OF THE IMPORTED ITEMS AND A FINE OF UP TO $5 000 FOR A FIRST OFFENCE AND $10 000 AND IMPRISONMENT FOR SIX MONTHS FOR A SECOND OR SUBSEQUENT OFFENCE,+ HE ADDED.
UNDER THE ORDINANCE, LICENCES TO IMPORT OR TO POSSESS HAVE TO BE OBTAINED IN ADVANCE OF EACH SHIPMENT AND MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY A VALID EXPORT PERMIT ISSUED BY THE APPROPRIATE AUTHORITY OF THE EXPORTING COUNTRY.
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