Photo：the official Wechat account of General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China

Customs authorities at West Kowloon Station in China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) intercepted 11 sets of ancient cultural relics carried by an outbound passenger. All the items were classified as general cultural relics prohibited from export, according to the official WeChat account of General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China on Sunday.

An Afghan male passenger departing from the West Kowloon Station failed to declare items while passing through the customs inspection area. An abnormality was detected in the X-ray image of his carry-on luggage. Upon further inspection, customs officers discovered 11 sets of suspected cultural relics inside the suitcase, according to the General Administration of Customs. 

Upon appraisal by the relevant cultural relics authority of Guangdong Province, the items were identified as stone and metal artifacts dating from the 2nd century BC to the 5th century AD. These include: a silver coin depicting Philoxenus, one stone plaque ornament carved with an elephant motif, one pair of silver bracelets with double ram-head terminals, one pair of gold earrings inlaid with gems and decorated with granulation and grapevine patterns, one gold foil piece bearing a swastika pattern, one small gold-coated crystal reliquary stupa, one gold ring inlaid with gems and an intaglio carved with human figures, one bronze Buddha statue, one bronze standing Buddha figure, one fragmented stone lotus pedestal with carved Buddha footprints, and one stone carved cosmetic tray with figurative patterns. All are categorized as general cultural relics prohibited from export, according to the report.

Customs reminded the public that, in accordance with the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Cultural Relics Protection, the export of cultural relics must be examined and approved by cultural relics entry and exit review institutions designated by the State Council. 

Cultural relics approved for export must be issued an export permit by the State Council and must exit through designated ports. Any unit or individual transporting, mailing, or carrying cultural relics out of the country must declare them to customs, which will release them upon verification of the export permission. 

Smuggling of cultural relics that constitutes a crime will be prosecuted in accordance with the law; where it does not amount to a crime, customs will impose penalties in accordance with relevant laws and administrative regulations.

Global Times