Man sentenced to 15 months' imprisonment for illegal possession of regulated turtles
A man was found illegally possessing local wild and endangered turtles and sentenced to imprisonment for 15 months by the District Court today (September 20).
A spokesman for the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) noted that the 37-year old man offered regulated species for sale on his online social media platforms and instant messenger groups. AFCD staff disguised as clients and mounted an enforcement operation against the man with a big-headed turtle seized in April 2022. However, the man did not stop his illegal acts afterwards. The AFCD thus mounted a joint operation with the Police in May 2022 and seized 31 specimens of endangered turtles of unknown sources on a premises in Yau Tsim Mong District. All turtles concerned are species listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species as Endangered or Critically Endangered, as well as the Appendices to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), and regulated under the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance (Cap. 586). These turtles include big-headed turtles (Platysternon megacephalum) and radiated tortoise (Astrochelys radiata), which are listed in CITES Appendix I, and Chinese three-striped box turtles (Cuora trifasciata, commonly known as golden coin turtle), Beale's eyed turtles (Sacalia bealei), yellow-margined box turtles (Cuora flavomarginata) and wattle-necked softshell turtle (Palea steindachneri), listed in CITES Appendix II. There are wild populations of big-headed turtles, Chinese three-striped box turtles and Beale's eyed turtles in Hong Kong and these species are protected under the Wild Animals Protection Ordinance (Cap. 170). Upon scientific testing, all seized big-headed turtles and Beale's eyed turtles, as well as some of the Chinese three-striped box turtles were proven to be taken from the wild locally.
The man was prosecuted under five charges for illegal possession of endangered species, illegal sale of protected wild animal taken in Hong Kong and illegal possession of live protected wild animals taken in Hong Kong. The offender was convicted today at the District Court and sentenced to imprisonment for 15 months.
Any person contravening the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance will be liable to a maximum fine of $10 million and imprisonment for 10 years upon conviction with the specimens forfeited. In addition, the Wild Animals Protection Ordinance also stipulates that unless otherwise permitted, no one shall hunt, wilfully disturb, buy, sell, export, offer for sale or export, possess or control protected wild animals (including all wild chelonians). Offenders are liable to a maximum fine of $100,000 and imprisonment for one year upon conviction.
The spokesman said, "This case involved the largest quantity of local specimens among all convicted cases of illegal possession of regulated species since the enhanced penalties under the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance came into effect in 2018. Illegal possession of endangered species is a serious crime. Members of the public should not defy the law. The Government is committed to combating illegal hunting of and trading in wild animals to protect local wild species and endangered species. The AFCD will remain vigilant and continue monitoring various platforms and social media, and will proactively take action to deter illegal acts."
The AFCD encourages members of the public to call 1823 to report any suspected irregularities.
CSTB co-ordinates measures in relation to arrival of visitors to Hong Kong during Mainland's National Day Golden Week
Following the first interdepartmental meeting held on August 23 to co-ordinate the preparation work for the arrival of visitors to Hong Kong during the Mainland's National Day Golden Week, the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau convened another meeting today (September 20) to follow up on the preparation work carried out by various departments, including crowd-control management of visitors, etc, said a Government spokesman. The meeting was chaired by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung, with representatives from government departments including the Hong Kong Customs (Customs), the Hong Kong Police Force (Police), the Immigration Department (ImmD), the Transport Department, various District Offices, etc. Representatives from various tourism-related organisations including the Travel Industry Authority (TIA), the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong, the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority, major tourist attractions, the hotel industry, etc, also attended. Relevant parties will continue to maintain close communication on the crowd control of visitors during the Mainland's National Day Golden Week with a view to preparing in advance and co-ordinating different aspects for receiving visitor arrivals to Hong Kong.
Mr Yeung said, "The HKSARG has been closely monitoring visitor arrivals during the Mainland's National Day Golden Week and will continue to maintain close liaison with various government departments, relevant organisations and the trade to properly manage visitor flows, so as to offer visitors with a good travel experience and a taste of Hong Kong's city charm of 'Tourism is everywhere in Hong Kong'."
During the Mainland's National Day Golden Week, relevant government departments will strengthen manpower as well as co-ordination of transport and cross-boundary services at various control points, including strengthening crowd management, increasing transport frequency, etc. If necessary, the Police will make appropriate traffic arrangements according to the actual circumstances, including arranging public transport to use the designated dedicated lane at San Sham Road to travel to Lok Ma Chau/Huanggang Port. In addition, the Inter-departmental Joint Command Centre set up by Customs, the Police, the ImmD and other departments will be activated during the Mainland's National Day Golden Week to monitor the situation at each land control point, as well as to maintain close liaison with Mainland counterparts and take contingency actions where necessary. The Emergency Transport Co-ordination Centre of the Transport Department will operate 24 hours to monitor the traffic conditions of different districts, including various boundary control points and major stations, disseminate the latest traffic information through various channels and implement response measures where appropriate.
Various District Offices will closely monitor the flow of visitors within their corresponding districts during the Mainland's National Day Golden Week and strengthen management of the relevant spots having regard to the actual circumstances. Major tourist attractions will also put in place crowd control measures.
The TIA has been reminding travel agents receiving relevant Mainland inbound tour groups to stagger arrival times as far as possible and urge travel agents, shops, restaurants, etc, receiving Mainland inbound tour groups to implement appropriate measures for managing the order of visitors and coaches. The TIA will also deploy additional manpower during the Mainland's National Day Golden Week to conduct inspections in districts where relatively more registered shops for inbound tour groups are located, and offer assistance to visitors and tourist guides to protect the rights of inbound tour group visitors. In addition, Customs will step up inspections of shops serving visitors to combat unfair trade practices.
The Tourism Commission, together with representatives from various government departments and the TIA, visited Tsim Sha Tsui Star Ferry Pier and the nearby piers offering Victoria Harbour tours earlier (September 9) to inspect enhancement arrangements of crowd control deployed by relevant parties, as well as visiting the Kowloon City District to inspect registered shops and catering premises for Mainland inbound tour groups to remind the relevant parties to better prepare for the co-ordination work for crowd management. In addition, the Tourism Commission has been maintaining liaison with Mainland tourism authorities and communicating with them on the arrival of Mainland visitors. It has provided the hotlines of the relevant local organisations to Mainland inbound group visitors via the Mainland tourism authorities.
At present, the ImmD will upload the daily arrival figures of each control point to its website (www.immd.gov.hk). In addition, visitors may check the estimated waiting time at each land boundary control point via the Immigration mobile application.
During the Mainland's National Day Golden Week, in case of emergency, Mainland inbound tour group visitors, tour escorts accompanying the tour groups and local tourist guides may seek assistance from the TIA by calling its service hotline 3698 5900 (operating from 9am to 6pm from October 1 to 7). For enquiries or complaints, visitors may call the HKTB's hotline 2508 1234 (operating from 9am to 8pm from October 1 to 7) or the Consumer Council's hotline 2929 2222 (operating from 9am to 5.30pm from October 2 to 4 and on October 7).
CSTB co-ordinates measures in relation to arrival of visitors to Hong Kong during Mainland's National Day Golden Week Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
CSTB co-ordinates measures in relation to arrival of visitors to Hong Kong during Mainland's National Day Golden Week Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
