[Cross-Strait] Kinmen Xiamen Ferry Passenger Carried Lizards Outbound Unchecked; Coast Guard: Will Use as Case Study for Education

Media reported that a Taiwanese passenger carrying hundreds of lizards via the Kinmen-Xiamen ferry to Xiamen was not intercepted by the coast guard. The Coast Guard Administration's Kinmen-Matsu-Penghu Branch stated that this will be incorporated as a case study to enhance the training of duty personnel; after the relevant investigation is completed, this case will be forwarded to the competent authority for processing. Media reported that on the 15th, a Taiwanese passenger carried about 300 live lizards on a ferry to Xiamen, China, but was not intercepted by the coast guard. The passenger was discovered by mainland Chinese authorities upon arrival at the Xiamen port and was repatriated to Kinmen on the 16th. After returning to Kinmen, the passenger voluntarily declared the lizards to customs for entry, but was unable to complete customs clearance due to lack of proper permits. Customs handled the return shipment according to law. The Coast Guard Administration's Kinma Penghu Branch stated today (17th) through a press release that the Ninth Coast Guard Team, in accordance with the division of responsibilities for CIQS and the "Regulations on the Implementation of Safety Inspections for Commercial Ports and Industrial Ports in the Taiwan Area by Coast Guard Agencies," is responsible for personnel (identity) checks, outbound passenger baggage inspections, and vessel inspections on international routes, direct cross-strait shipping routes, and the Small Three Links routes. The Kinma Penghu Branch pointed out that the failure to intercept the passenger carrying live lizards outbound on June 15th will be used as a case study to progressively enhance the training and experience of duty personnel. Regarding the undeclared outbound carriage of live animals in this case, the Ninth Coast Guard Team will complete the relevant investigation and forward it to the competent authority for processing. (Editor: Shen Zhen-jiang)