More than 100 tons of European eel fry were smuggled into China？ The final destination turned out to be here.

　　Reference message networkReported on May 8According to Japanese media, the problem of illegal export of European eel fry, which was banned from export by the European Union because of its endangerment, to East Asia has become increasingly serious, and the smuggling methods have become increasingly sophisticated. According to the estimation of European authorities, about 100 tons of live eel fry used for farming were smuggled to China within a few months, but most of them were finally sent to the Japanese market.

　　According to Kyodo News reported on May 6, the harvest of eel seedlings in East Asia was seriously poor, and Japanese merchants accelerated the import of eel seedlings with opaque origin. Under this situation, they were asked to take countermeasures.

　　According to reports, the Spanish public security authorities announced in April that 10 people, including Spaniards, Chinese and Moroccans, were arrested for smuggling eel fry. It is reported that the gang made a profit of 37.5 million euros (about 280 million yuan) due to the higher market price of East Asian eel seedlings.

　　It is alleged that the gang smuggled eel fry collected in Spain to China via Portugal and Morocco.

　　The security authorities found the gang’s car with 129 kilograms of eel fry to be transported to Morocco in the southern port of Spain. In the gang’s stronghold in algeciras, southern Spain, a breeding pond with more than 300 kilograms of eel fry and 364 suitcases for carrying eel fry were found.

　　The Spanish security authorities asserted that "the main final destination is the Asian market, especially ‘ Pu Shao ’ Japan, one of the traditional dishes. " At present, it is not clear whether it will be transported from China to Japan in the state of live eel fry, or whether it will be transported after breeding or processing, but the public security authorities pointed out that "the network like the underworld is supplying European eels".

　　Japanese media reported that Europol estimated that 100 tons of eel seedlings were smuggled into China during the recent fishing season (November 2017 to March 2018). The European eel protection group "Sustainable Eel Group" (SEG) called for "the establishment of traceability system is indispensable" in order to put an end to the smuggling of European eel fry, and asked Japan and other Asian countries to provide cooperation.

　　Eel fry data map. (Kyodo)