Hong Kong customs busts ‘cunning’ smuggling ring with HK$30 million of shark fin, bird’s nest and wine
Nine men and two women were arrested during Tuesday’s operation, which followed a two-week surveillance operation and investigation
Eleven Hongkongers have been arrested and HK$30 million worth of products, including shark fin and bird’s nest, seized after customs authorities dismantled what was described as a “cunning” smuggling ring.
Four men were first arrested at the Shenzhen Bay control point on Tuesday morning when HK$800,000 worth of bird’s nest and bottled red wine was found on board two seven-seater vehicles bound for the mainland.
In a subsequent raid at a Yuen Long logistics site, officers arrested another six individuals and found three more seven-seater vehicles each containing multiple boxes of bottled red wine and bags of bird’s nest.
Officers later stormed a factory unit in Fanling, believed to have been used for storage and packaging by the alleged smugglers, and found even more bird’s nest, shark fin, red wine, vehicle parts and mobile phone screens. Another person was arrested at the factory unit.
In total, nine men and two women were arrested during Tuesday’s operation, which followed a two-week surveillance operation and investigation, authorities said on Wednesday.