BEIJING, April 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese customs registered an increase in pest interceptions in the first quarter (Q1) this year, the General Administration of Customs (GAC) said on Thursday.
A total of 14,196 pest interceptions involving 204 types of pests were conducted by customs nationwide in Q1, up by 27.8 percent year on year, the GAC said.
Chinese customs also intercepted 710 exotic species types in mails, parcels, and passengers' belongings in the first three months, the GAC added.
Customs tightened inspection and quarantine at ports in Q1. They returned or destroyed 129 unqualified agricultural product batches from 23 countries and regions.
Chinese customs, meanwhile, enhanced prevention and control of major animal-related epidemics to prevent them from entering China, including African swine fever and the highly pathogenic avian influenza. Enditem
