Hong Kong customs has made its biggest hairy crab smuggling bust on record, seizing 48,000 of the seasonal delicacies valued at about HK$7.2 million (US$920,000) and arresting a cross-border truck driver.
The Customs and Excise Department on Monday revealed that the haul, weighing 10.8 tons (8 tonnes), was discovered the day before inside a truck entering the city via the Lok Ma Chau border checkpoint and claiming to be carrying electronic goods.
Each crab weighed about six to eight taels (227 to 302 grams), putting their price at about HK$200.
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The 57-year-old driver of the truck has been arrested and remains in custody, according to the department’s Senior Inspector Ng Wai-on.
“The amount seized in this case was the highest on record, in terms of weight and number of crabs,” Ng said.
The crabs were not accompanied by the required health certificates, nor were they properly kept in refrigerated conditions, the officer added. They were found in foam boxes, with many already dead when discovered.
Customs was still investigating the origin of the crabs, and whether they contained substances harmful to humans.
Ng said smuggling cases had been on the rise since borders reopened with the mainland earlier this year, with 14 cases involving hairy crabs brought in via private vehicles recorded in recent months.
“Following our risk assessment, we believe criminals may have plans to switch to trucks,” he said.
Ng revealed his department had launched a three-month joint operation with the Centre for Food Safety on September 1 targeting sea, land and air ports. The activity resulted in 41 cases being referred to the centre for follow-up as of Sunday. Among them, 18 cases involved suspected violations of health certificate rules, involving 55,800 hairy crabs, weighing 12.2 tons.
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Hong Kong customs seizes HK$100 million in contraband from cargo ships
Hairy crab season typically runs from September to December. The crustacean is native to East Asian waters and considered a delicacy for its fragrant roe.
Convicted smugglers face a maximum fine of HK$2 million and up to seven years’ behind bars, while those caught selling food unfit for human consumption face a HK$50,000 fine and up to six months imprisonment.
Since 2018, importers of hairy crabs have been required to apply for a special permit after the crustaceans were found to have almost twice the accepted levels of dioxins and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls, known carcinogens that can also damage the reproductive and immune systems, the previous year.