XN000022-1993-10-26 — Page 11

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1993

SUSPECTED RHINO PRODUCTS SEIZED

THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT HAD SEIZED A NUMBER OF SUSPECTED RHINO PRODUCTS AND MEDICINE CLAIMING TO CONTAIN RHINO INGREDIENTS IN A SERIES OF OPERATION CONDUCTED LAST WEEK.

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES (CONSERVATION AND COUNTRY PARKS), MR FRANK LAU, TODAY (TUESDAY) SAID ACTING ON INFORMATION, THE DEPARTMENT OBTAINED WARRANTS TO SEARCH MEDICINAL SHOPS IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE TERRITORY WEDNESDAY (OCT 20).

58 CHINESE SINCE LAST

AS A RESULT, TWO PIECES AND TWO SCRAPS OF RHINO HORN, A NUMBER OF SUSPECTED RHINO HIDE WEIGHING 4 KILOGRAM, AND MORE THAN 1,000 SMALL PACKETS OF MEDICINE CLAIMING TO CONTAIN RHINO INGREDIENTS WERE SEIZED FROM 29 SHOPS.

THE VALUE OF THE SEIZED GOODS IS ESTIMATED TO BE ABOUT $120,000. PROSECUTION WILL BE CARRIED OUT AT A LATER STAGE.

MR LAU SAID THE ENFORCEMENT ACTION AGAINST ILLEGAL TRADE IN RHINO PRODUCTS HAD BEEN STEPPED UP IN HONG KONG FOLLOWING RECENT REPORTS OF SUCH ACTIVITIES IN THE ASIAN REGION AND DISCUSSION WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL INVESTIGATION AGENCY.

HE REMINDED THE PUBLIC THAT NOT ONLY THE IMPORT, EXPORT AND LOCAL SALE OF RHINO HORNS INCLUDING MEDICINE CLAIMING TO CONTAIN RHINO INGREDIENTS WERE PROHIBITED IN HONG KONG, POSSESSION OF ANY SUCH PRODUCT WAS ALSO ILLEGAL.

"APART FROM BEING ILLEGAL, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SHOULD ALSO REFRAIN FROM USING OR BUYING RHINO PRODUCTS BECAUSE OF THE NEED TO PROTECT THESE ENDANGERED SPECIES.

"BESIDES, THERE IS A HIGH CHANCE THAT THE PUBLIC MAY ONLY PURCHASE SOME FAKED GOODS. IN FACT, DURING OUR OPERATIONS, A NUMBER OF FAKED PRODUCTS WERE FOUND."

HE REITERATED THE GOVERNMENT'S COMMITMENT TO COMBAT THE ILLICIT RHINO PRODUCT TRADE IN HONG KONG AND THAT THE ENFORCEMENT MOMENTUM WOULD BE MAINTAINED.

HE URGED ANYONE WHO HAD ANY INFORMATION ON ILLEGAL RHINO TRADE TO REPORT OR PROVIDE SUCH INFORMATION TO THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT OR CUSTOMS AND EXCISE DEPARTMENT SO THAT IMMEDIATE ACTION CAN BE TAKEN TO CURB THESE ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES.

HE STRESSED THAT UNDER THE ANIMALS AND PLANTS (PROTECTION ENDANGERED SPECIES) ORDINANCE, OFFENDERS WOULD BE LIABLE TO MAXIMUM PENALTY OF $25,000 ON FIRST CONVICTION AND IMPRISONMENT OF SIX MONTHS ON SUBSEQUENT CONVICTIONS.

$50,000

OF

A

AND

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