#2057
Whenever the H5N1 bird flu virus shows up in an area where it is not known to be endemic, a question always arises.
Where did it come from?
For Hong Kong authorities, whose poultry has been free of the virus for many years, answering that question is crucial.
Did it arrive via wild migratory birds? Did it come from one of the chicken farms on the mainland that provide poultry to the region? Or, perhaps, was it brought in by illegal chicken smuggling operations.
This report from The Standard.
H5N1 fears on smuggled chickens
Carol Chung
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Smuggled chickens may have been the cause of the latest outbreak of the bird flu virus.
The suspicions arose after the farms that supplied the three stalls at the center of the H5N1 outbreak cleared preliminary checks.
Customs officials said yesterday they are treating reports of smuggling seriously.
Officers also said they would be stepping up intelligence-gathering operations to prevent underground poultry shipments.
"We will collaborate with the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department in investigating the reported problem of smuggling at both the wholesale and retail levels," said Tam Yiu- keung, acting assistant commissioner of intelligence and investigation at the Customs and Excise Department.
AFCD assistant director of inspection and quarantine Thomas Sit Hon-chung added: "Invoices show the chickens that tested positive came from three local and six mainland registered farms.
"But checks at the three local farms showed no problems, and mainland inspection and quarantine authorities have also confirmed there are no problems with the six farms on their side."
Sit said more than 70 samples taken from farms, wholesale and retail markets all tested negative for H5N1. More tests will be conducted at local and mainland farms and the results will be out in a few days.
