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Hong Kong’s ‘national security priority’: stop cross-border smuggling of lobsters, other products into mainland China
- Decision comes after new customs chief Louise Ho says combating lobster smuggling into the mainland is ‘vital task in safeguarding national security’
- Such illegal activities affect revenue of import tariffs imposed by mainland authorities and may also pose health risks, government source says
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Hong Kong authorities have made it a national security priority to stop smugglers crossing the border with goods from countries which have frosty relations with mainland China, a government source has said.
This was revealed after the city’s first female customs chief, Louise Ho Pui-shan, explained why the smuggling of Australian lobsters into the mainland was a national security issue, given the frayed relations between the two countries.
However, the source did not say on Friday which countries were involved and the type of goods being targeted.
“Smuggling of goods into the mainland through illegal channels affects the revenue of import tariffs imposed by mainland authorities,” he said, adding that where food products were concerned, they could pose health risks as they lacked certificates to ensure they were safe for consumption.
He said it was “our job to prevent and stop these goods from being smuggled into our country in order to safeguard national security”.
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