Recently, Huangpu Customs District seized 2.5 tons of Indian rosewood, an endangered class-Ⅱ wood, at Laogang Customs House from a batch of import goods declared as “Indian scented boxes”. 

These scented boxes made of wood, totaling 8,000 pieces, were declared under the HS code of non-endangered wood. However, field customs officers were suspicious of the wood and contacted a professional inspection agency for material identification. Finally, the scented wood was identified to be endangered Indian rosewood that is listed in Appendix Ⅱ of the “Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora” (CITES). Because the importer did not have the Import Permit issued by the Endangered Species Import and Export Management Office of China, Laogang Customs House has detained this batch of goods for investigation. 

Customs reminder: Without relevant official permits, any business must not import or export endangered species and their products in any way; illegal smuggling thereof is subject to customs administrative penalty and, in serious cases, subject to criminal punishment according to law.