This footage shows customs officers discovering 871 live crabs hidden in suitcases and stuffed in the back of a car attempting to cross the border.
The suspicious black car was stopped for an inspection at the Zhuhai Highway Port as it travelled from Macao and was trying to enter China on 2nd December.
A closer look into the two unusually heavy suitcases stuck in the back of the vehicle revealed revealed a haul of hundreds of live crabs packed in mesh bags.
In a statement released on 22nd December, Gongbei Customs officials said that their experts have now confirmed the species of all 871 crabs being illegally smuggled in the car.

The statement said: “On 16th December, the Gongbei Customs Technical Centre identified a batch of live crabs previously seized by the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Customs, under Gongbei Customs, as including species such as the Spiny-Legged Land Hermit Crab, Orange-Red Land Hermit Crab, Purple Land Hermit Crab, Side-Walking Land Crab, Box Land Crab, and Coconut Crab.
“On 2nd December, during an inspection of the inbound passenger vehicle channel at the Zhuhai Highway Port of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, customs officers detected irregularities in a cross-border vehicle.
“The officers intercepted the vehicle and conducted an inspection, discovering two unusually heavy suitcases in the boot.
“Upon further examination, 871 live crabs were found in the suitcases.
“The seized crabs were identified as follows: 72 Spiny-Legged Land Hermit Crabs, 206 Orange-Red Land Hermit Crabs, 544 Purple Land Hermit Crabs, 25 Side-Walking Land Crabs, 22 Box Land Crabs, and two Coconut Crabs.

“According to the Biosecurity Law of the People’s Republic of China and the Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Entry and Exit Animal and Plant Quarantine. Along with its implementing regulations, it is prohibited to bring or mail live animals into the country without approval.
“Violations of these regulations will result in legal action by customs authorities.”
It is currently clear what legal repercussions the smugglers will face.
To find out more about the author, editor or agency that supplied this story – please click below. Story By: Dushko Kochoski, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: AsiaWire Report
The Ananova page is created by and dedicated to professional, independent freelance journalists. It is a place for us to showcase our work. When our news is sold to our media partners, we will include the link here.