Shenzhen Bay Customs Seizes 30 kg of Endangered Agarwood Chips: Aquilaria Species Are CITES Appendix II Listed

30 kg of Agarwood Chips Hidden in Outbound Luggage

Shenzhen Bay Customs recently intercepted 30 kg of endangered agarwood chips in the outbound passenger channel. The wood was identified as Aquilaria of the Thymelaeaceae family, a genus listed in CITES Appendix II. Customs noted that natural agarwood takes decades to form and is an endangered protected species; carrying or smuggling agarwood and its products across borders without permits constitutes a crime, with serious cases subject to criminal liability.

Compliant Trade and Scientific Authentication Are Key

This is not an isolated case: Friendship Pass customs recently also seized 12 agarwood bracelets (0.547 kg in total) carried illegally by an inbound traveler. Industry insiders remind that all Aquilaria and Gyrinops species are regulated under CITES Appendix II, and legal cross-border trade requires a CITES import/export permit. Meanwhile, adulteration methods such as oil injection, compression and dyeing keep evolving — a plain wood-identification report cannot detect artificial additives. Buyers should look for species identification, ethanol extract content and agarotetrol testing to avoid legal and quality risks at the source.

This article is an industry observation and general knowledge compilation; it does not constitute any trading or investment advice. Please purchase agarwood through legal channels and verify traceable, testable sources.