Starting from January 31, officers of the Control Points Command of the Customs and Excise Department have been stepping up enforcement actions to curb poultry smuggled from the Mainland.

A spokesman for the Customs and Excise Department said today (February 8) that such stepped-up actions included the examination of imported cargoes and baggage at all land and sea control points as well as the mounting of joint operations with the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department.

A total of 429 kg of fresh chicken, 37 kg of fresh duck and 18 kg of fresh goose have been seized. Other than fresh meat, two live chickens were seized and a person was arrested at the Sha Tau Kok Control Point yesterday (February 7).

"Members of the public are reminded to buy poultry meat from those licensed shops," the spokesman said.

Ends/Tuesday, February 8, 2005