Customs said on Thursday that officers have seized about 3.4 tonnes of suspected smuggled hairy crabs with an estimated market value of HK$2.3 million at the Man Kam To border checkpoint.

In a joint operation with the Centre for Food Safety (CFS), officers intercepted an incoming truck at the checkpoint on Tuesday and found the batch of suspected unmanifested hairy crabs mixed in with other properly declared goods on board the vehicle.

“Furthermore, the seized hairy crabs did not come with health certificates issued by the relevant authorities of the exporting economies, and failed to comply with the requirements of the Shell Fish (Hairy Crab) Permit,” officers said in a press release.

A 49-year-old driver is assisting the investigation.

Customs and the CFS said they will continue to work closely and boost intelligence exchanges to combat illegal food import activities.