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Woman stopped at Guangzhou's airport for trying to smuggle in 'alien' beetle species
Apr 01, 2024 01:46 PM IST
At Guangzhou's Baiyun International Airport in the Guangdong province, a woman was apprehended after attempting to smuggle insects into China. She landed at the third-busiest airport in the country and was filmed struggling to lift her suitcase onto the luggage scanner. Later, the General Administration of Customs in China reported that the X-ray machine detected multiple irregularities within her suitcase, as per reports.
According to Sing Tao Daily, customs officers quickly stopped the box and opened it for examination. Upon opening the luggage, a significant number of beetles were discovered, some of which were active. The beetles were all individually wrapped in clear plastic sheets.
The news outlet also informed that a total of 11 types of beetles were captured, including the high Cassas beetle, the orange-backed stag beetle, the Atlas beetle, and the Javanese broad-sided stag beetle. The beetles were sent to professional institutions for identification. The orange-backed stag beetle had the largest number, with 125 in total. All these beetles are considered to be alien species with no native habitat in China.
Customs officers have informed that it is illegal to bring live animals and plants into the country without proper approval. Laws such as the "Biosecurity Law" and "Entry and Exit Animal and Plant Quarantine Law," along with their implementation regulations, prohibit the introduction of foreign species. Breaking these rules can result in legal prosecution. (Also Read: China gets a taste of 'India's finest' alcohol as Indian embassy holds whisky tasting event)
According to the Metro, Chinese customs and border officers have increased their scrutiny in an effort to curb the rapidly growing exotic pet trade in recent years. Smuggled in from abroad, one million people in China own exotic pets, and many of them come from more affluent backgrounds. These include tropical birds, crocodiles, and monkeys.
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