Customs seizes 37.000 tons of industrial waste in 10 months

Shenzhen Customs officers display smuggled crocodile skins they seized in June this year in this photo released yesterday. In actions against the smuggling of endangered species in June, Shenzhen Customs seized six suspects and 146 smuggled crocodile skins. Courtesy of Shenzhen Customs

Shenzhen Customs busted 25 smuggling cases involving 37,000 tons of industrial waste in the first 10 months of the year, according to a release by Shenzhen Customs yesterday.

At a debriefing of the latest Thunderbolt and Demeter International Joint Operation, held by the General Administration of Customs yesterday, Shenzhen Customs said the waste comprised mainly plastics, metals and minerals.

According to Chen Xiaoying, head of Shenzhen Customs, the customs developed the Blue Sky 2019 action and focused inspections on 16 types of industrial waste, such as used metal, scrapped ships, used auto parts and metallurgical slag that had been banned from import and could easily cause damage to the environment.

In an action in Huizhou in March, customs officers busted three criminal rings, arrested 10 suspects for processing plastic waste, and seized 2,400 tons of plastic waste. The processing had seriously polluted the soil, air and even underground water, the customs said. In an August action, customs seized two other suspects, 246 tons of plastic waste and 26 tons of other solid waste.

From January to October, Shenzhen Customs also busted 190 smuggling cases involving endangered species and products, such as 203 kg of ivory and related products and 5,000 other endangered species related items like rhino horns, parrot eggs and red sandalwood.

In actions against the smuggling of endangered species in June, Shenzhen Customs seized 6 suspects and 146 smuggled crocodile skins.

In the first 10 months, Chinese customs seized around 1,237.5 tons of endangered species and related products in 444 cases between January and October, 8.58 times more than the amount during the same period last year.

A total of 169 representatives from 42 member customs of the World Customs Organizations and law enforcement agencies, nine international organizations and six nongovernmental organizations are attending the debriefing, which is scheduled to be concluded tomorrow.