Traveller Sentenced to 12 Months in Jail for Illegal Import of Endangered Shark Fins into Hong Kong

A Hong Kong court has sentenced a 39-year-old woman to one year in prison for illegally importing shark fins from endangered species. The case stems from her arrival in Hong Kong from Brazil via Ethiopia in November 2023, where customs officials discovered over 450 kilograms of dried shark fins in her luggage.

Authorities from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) seized the fins, of which approximately 100 kilograms were identified as coming from endangered species, including silky sharks, oceanic whitetip sharks, and hammerhead sharks. The total value of the seized fins was estimated at around HK$440,000.

Under Hong Kong law, the import and export of products derived from endangered species is strictly regulated, requiring proper licensing. Violations can result in fines of up to HK$10 million and prison sentences of up to 10 years. Initially, the District Court set the jail term at 18 months but reduced it to 12 months due to the woman’s guilty plea.

The AFCD has stressed the importance of compliance with international treaties that protect endangered species and has recently added new shark species to its list of protected animals. In Hong Kong, shark fin soup remains a popular dish, making the city a major hub for the shark fin trade. However, the practice has raised significant environmental concerns, as many sharks are caught and their fins removed before they are discarded back into the sea.

This case follows another incident in July, where a 36-year-old man received a similar one-year sentence for importing endangered shark fins from Brazil via Ethiopia. The AFCD indicated that illegal activities in this trade are becoming increasingly complex, as criminals often mix regulated and unregulated specimens to evade detection. The department is committed to collaborating with customs to combat such practices.

旅客因非法進口瀕危鯊魚魚翅而被判入獄12個月

香港一名39歲的女性因非法進口瀕危物種的鯊魚魚翅而被判入獄一年。此案件源於她於2023年11月從巴西經厄立特里亞抵達香港，海關官員在她的行李中發現超過450公斤的乾魚翅。

來自農業、漁業及保護署（AFCD）的官員扣留了這些魚翅，其中約100公斤被確定來自瀕危物種，包括絲鯊、海洋白鰭鯊和錐頭鯊。被扣押的魚翅總值約為44萬港元。

根據香港法律，進口和出口來自瀕危物種的產品受到嚴格監管，需取得適當的許可證。違規者可面臨高達1000萬港元的罰款和長達10年的監禁。區域法院最初將刑期設定為18個月，但由於被告認罪，減至12個月。

AFCD強調遵守保護瀕危物種的國際條約的重要性，並最近將新的鯊魚物種納入受保護動物名單。在香港，魚翅湯仍然是一道受歡迎的菜餚，使香港成為鯊魚魚翅貿易的主要樞紐。然而，這種做法引發了重大的環境擔憂，因為許多鯊魚在被捕後其魚翅被割去，然後被丟回海中。

此案件是繼七月另一名36歲男性因從巴西經厄立特里亞進口瀕危魚翅而獲得相似的一年刑期之後。AFCD表示，這一貿易中的非法活動正變得愈加複雜，罪犯經常混合受監管和未受監管的標本以逃避檢測。該部門致力於與海關合作，以打擊這些不法行為。