A woman was caught smuggling 229 live fish under her skirt at a border crossing.
The suspect was pretending to use her phone while passing through customs.
Officials noticed she appeared nervous, and her skirt was bulging at the sides.
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They stopped the woman from carrying out a search at the Lo Wu border crossing between Hong Kong and mainland China.
According to customs officials, the suspect willingly lifted up her skirt to show two large plastic bags tied around her waist.
The bags, filled with water, contained 229 live fish, as reported by Need To Know.
They were identified as hillstream loaches, a small freshwater fish found in fast-flowing streams and rivers in southern China and northern Vietnam.
Although sometimes consumed as food, the loaches are more commonly used in aquariums or for scientific purposes due to their unique genetic makeup.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said it is prohibited to transport the species in China.
A police investigation has been opened into the alleged smuggling attempt.
Locals had a lot to say after images were shared by China Customs.
One said: “The officials must have razor sharp eyes.
A second added: “Crazy she had 229 fish hidden up her skirt,”
Another said: “How did she manage to walk so steadily?”
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