Secretary for the Environment KS Wong visited the Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department Operation Centre in Ta Kwu Ling today to see how sniffer dogs detect smuggled ivory.
He watched a dog training session and was briefed by a Customs officer on enforcement actions against ivory smuggling.
Mr Wong said the Government is very concerned about the illegal poaching of elephants and warned that Hong Kong's law enforcement agencies will take rigorous action against the smuggling and illegal trade in ivory.
"The Government will start legislative procedures as soon as possible to ban the import and export of elephant hunting trophies and explore other measures to further contribute to the conservation of elephants."
He said the use of detector dogs is effective and can enhance the agencies' capability to combat ivory smuggling.
In the past two years the dogs have detected 22 cases of illegal ivory importation.
