TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Hundreds of kilograms of shark fins were found at Singapore Airlines` warehouses on May 11. The endangered sharks` fins, totaling at 980 kg, came from Sri Lanka and were about to be shipped to Hong Kong via Singapore.
Singapore Airlines, which bans sharks' fins from entering its cargo, discovered dozens of bags labeled as "dry seafood" to avoid suspicions.
"This is another case of misleading and deceiving. The shipment came declared as ‘dried seafood’ so didn’t flag any alarms," said Gary Stokes, Asia director at Sea Shepherd, who discovered the endangered fins within the shipment, as Reuters reported.
The discovery is a challenge for Hong Kong to change its trade regulations. Hong Kong legalizes the imports of shark fin, which is considered a delicacy there.
The U.N. Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) lists shark as an endangered species, and the shipment of its fins requires permit.
Following the discovery, Singapore Airlines sent reminders to all stations to immediately sample-check all shipments labeled 'dried seafood'. The shipper has also been blacklisted by the airline.
REUTERS | FIKRI ARIGI
