Hong Kong Customs and its Mainland counterpart have stepped up cooperation to deter poultry smuggling at the control points, targeting both passengers and cargo, an official from Hong Kong Customs said Saturday.

Customs' Head of Control Points Command Ko Chi-lok said that the Department had strengthened cooperation with the Mainland, Hong Kong Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and Hong Kong Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, to deter poultry smuggling in view of the suspension of import of live poultry and birds from the Mainland for three weeks started from Friday after a confirmed H5N1 human case in Shenzhen of Guangdong Province.

In a media briefing, Ko warned those who smuggled live birds or poultry meat into Hong Kong could face prosecution.

"We have tightened examination of suspicious imported cargo and baggage at sea, land and air boundaries," Ko said, adding "in addition to front-line officers, Hong Kong Customs will deploy plainclothes officers to be on the lookout for law breakers." 

Under the Import and Export Ordinance, anyone importing unmanifested cargo, or importing prohibited articles such as frozen or chilled meat, poultry or birds without an import license, commits an offense and is liable on conviction to a fine of 500, 000 Hong Kong dollars (about US$64516) and imprisonment for two years.

(Xinhua News Agency June 19, 2006)