Customs seizure of monitor-lizard gallbladder, dried sea horses, pangolin scales

In Guangzhou Customs District, a batch of inbound animal products seized at Guangzhou Baiyun Airport were identified on November 11 to be Malay pangolin scales (140 grams), dried sea horses (225 grams), and monitor-lizard gallbladder tissue (70 grams), all of which are now under anti-smuggling investigation.

In an earlier entry inspection, the Airport Customs found many bags of suspicious “snacks” inside a passenger’s luggage and, through out-of-box audit, seized those animal products among ordinary snacks. Later, with the help of South China Wildlife Identification Center, the animal products were confirmed as Malay pangolin scales, dried sea horses and monitor-lizard gallbladder tissue.

In accordance with China’s Law on Wild Animal Protection, Directory of National Key Protected Wild Animals, and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), monitor lizard is China’s Class-I key protected wild animal, sea horse is China’s Class-II key protected wild animal, and Malay pangolin is listed in Appendix I of the CITES.

Customs reminder: Without official import/export permit, anyone is prohibited from trading, carrying or posting endangered wildlife and relevant products inward/outward; otherwise, the lawbreaker may be prosecuted for criminal liabilities.