Flying With A Canadian Ham to China

September 27, 2009 11:58 PM

Can I bring a leg of ham though Hong Kong customs from Canada?

I'm flying from Canada to Hong Kong tomorrow to see family and was planning on bringing a 3 kilo leg of ham as a gift. But I'm worried about declaring it in customs. Are there any Canadian pork restrictions currently in effect there?

posted by mushroom_tattoo to food & drink (3 comments total)

It is an offence for a traveller to bring into Hong Kong any meat or poultry without a valid health certificate. A prior approval of the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene should also be obtained before any import of game (e.g. venison and masked palm civet) into Hong Kong. Importation of dog/cat meat and smokeless tobacco products is also prohibited.

Source.
posted by rokusan at 12:10 AM on September 28

Damn, I guess I'll leave my cat meat at home too.
posted by mushroom_tattoo at 12:14 AM on September 28

More detail here, saying you're probably SOL for getting a certificate.

Advice to Travelers

Under the laws of Hong Kong , it is an offence for any person to bring any fresh, frozen or chilled meat, poultry or game into Hong Kong , without an official certificate issued by the food authority of the originating country or the written permission of the Hong Kong Food and Environmental Hygiene Department. On conviction, the maximum penalty is a $50,000 fine and six months ’ imprisonment.

Travellers should take note that under normal circumstances, food authorities would only issue official certificates to food traders for business purposes. Any person interested in obtaining certificates for bringing meat, poultry or game into Hong Kong should enquire with the relevant authority and, where there are arrangements for issuance of official certificates to individual persons, make the necessary application.

For enquiries, please contact Health Inspector (Import/Export) Import Registration at 2156 3041 or 2156 3042. Enquiries may also be sent to the following e-mail address : [e-mail] or by fax at 2521 4784.
posted by zippy at 7:56 AM on September 28