Biggest shark fin seizure in Hong Kong history recovers 26 tonnes, mostly from endangered species, in shipments from Ecuador
- The two consignments, which on their own doubled the amount seized last year, represent the slaughter of an estimated 38,500 protected sharks
- Most of the dried fins discovered were taken from the protected ‘thresher’ and ‘silk’ species
Hong Kong customs officials have made their largest shark fin seizure ever, uncovering 26 tonnes taken from 38,500 endangered sharks inside a pair of shipping containers from South America, it was revealed on Wednesday.
The two consignments, worth HK$8.6 million (US$1.1 million), more than doubled the 12 tonnes of shark fin seized in all of 2019, according to assistant superintendent Danny Cheung Kwok-yin of the Customs and Excise Department’s marine enforcement group.
“Each consignment consisting of 13 tonnes broke the previous record seizure of 3.8 tonnes of controlled shark fins made in 2019,” he said.
Cheung said both consignments were sent from the same shipper to the same Hong Kong logistics company. Customs officers have arrested the owner of the logistics firm, but the 57-year-old man has been granted bail pending further investigation.
A law enforcement source said the value of the seizure would have been much higher if it had been the highest-grade shark fin, which can cost thousands of dollars per kilogram.
