XN000022-1994-01-27 — Page 6

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 27, 1994

PAST

REVIEWING THE CONTROL OF ENDANGERED SPECIES TRADE IN THE YEAR, MR LAU SAID ENFORCEMENT WORK HAD BEEN STEPPED UP SINCE THE LAST QUARTER OF 1993 FOLLOWING REPORTS OF INCREASING ILLEGAL TRADE IN RHINO PRODUCTS IN THE ASIAN REGION AND DISCUSSION WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL INVESTIGATION AGENCY.

THERE ARE A TOTAL OF 426 CASES OF SEIZURES OF ENDANGERED SPECIES IN 1993, REPRESENTING AN INCREASE OF 60 PER CENT OVER THE 256 CASES IN 1992.

THE SEIZURES WERE MADE BY THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE DEPARTMENT AT ENTRY POINTS AND BY THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT AT LOCAL RETAIL SHOPS AND RESTAURANTS.

"THE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF SEIZURES IS THE RESULT OF A SERIES OF INSPECTION AND SEARCHES CONDUCTED AT CHINESE MEDICINAL SHOPS BELIEVED TO BE SELLING MEDICINES CLAIMING TO CONTAIN RHINO INGREDIENTS," MR LAU SAID.

IN THE PAST THREE MONTHS, 1,205 SHOPS WERE INSPECTED AND MORE THAN 2,000 SMALI, PACKETS OF MEDICINE CLAIMING TO CONTAIN RHINO INGREDIENTS, IN ADDITION TO TWO PIECES OF RHINO HORNS AND SOMB 6.7 KILOGRAMS OF CLAIMED RHINO HIDES WERE SEIZED FROM 114 SHOPS.

SO FAR, 16 OWNERS HAVE BEEN PROSECUTED AND CONVICTED AND MORE PROSECUTIONS ARE EXPECTED IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

IN ONE OF THE CASES, A SHOP OWNER WAS FINED $5,000 FOR ILLEGAL POSSESSION OF THREE SMALL PACKETS OF RHINO MEDICINE AND IN ANOTHER CASE A MAN WAS FINED $4,000 FOR ILLEGAL POSSESSION OF SEVEN TIGER PENISES.

"OUR

MR LAU SAID.

ENFORCEMENT WORK ALSO COVERED OTHER ENDANGERED

CLAIMED

SPECIES,

ח

OTHER MAJOR ITEMS OF ENDANGERED SPECIES SEIZED LAST YEAR

INCLUDED:

LIVE SPECIMEN

PARTS AND PRODUCT

SLOW LORIS (17 HEADS)

OWL (EIGHT HEADS)

PARROT (29 HEADS)

LIZARD (11 HEADS)

TORTOISE (65 HEADS)

SNAKE (386 HEADS)

GIANT SALAMANDER (27 HEADS)

ASIATIC BONY TONGUE FISH (252 TAILS)

CORAL (13 PIECES)

GIANT CLAM (10 HEADS)

ORCHID (166 PIECES)

STUFFED PANGOLIN (SEVEN HEADS } CLAIMED TIGER PARTS

(277 PIECES)

CLAIMED PANGOLIN SCALE

(12.35 KG)

CLAIMED MUSK GRAIN (137.98 GM)

SEAL SKIN (405 PIECES)

OTTER SKIN (688 PIECES)

FOX SKIN (20 PIECES)

LIZARD SKIN (37.8 KG AND

2003 PIECES)

CROCODILE MEAT (1411 KG)

CROCODILE SKIN (359 PIECES)

PYTHON MEAT (1001 KG)

CORAL SKELETON (1512 KG)

GIANT CLAM SHELL (40 PIECES)

/THERE WERE