Covid-19 pandemic forces endangered species smugglers into using cargo shipments, resulting in Hong Kong seizing HK$149 million worth of goods

Monetary value of seizures is already 12 per cent higher this year than for the whole of 2019 as cargo shipments usually carry larger volumes of illicit goods But wildlife smuggling cases detected at passenger channels at local control points dropped dramatically Monetary value of the seizure rose this year because cargo shipments usually carried larger volumes of endangered species, customs sources say. Coronavirus-related travel restrictions have forced smugglers to use cargo shipments over human couriers, resulting in Hong Kong logging a 12 per cent rise in the amount of seized endangered species this year, valued at HK$149 million (US$19…