On Tuesday, Hong Kong Customs seized 67 kilograms of dried seahorses from a 40-foot container arriving from the southeast African nation of Mozambique. The haul has an estimated value of HKD130,000, and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation department (AFCD) has promised to investigate the case. It is unclear why they were seized.
Dried seahorses are used in traditional Chinese medicine. According to Ocean Park, all seahorses are all listed in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, meaning that its trade must be regulated in all signatory countries (including Hong Kong). Hong Kong is a major trade hub for seahorses, with more tha 2.2 million imported into the city every year.
