BLOOD samples from 33 pregnant women were seized by Huanggang Customs. The samples were being sent to Hong Kong to identify the gender of the expected babies.

    A Hong Kong man aroused suspicion by carrying a small bag extremely carefully as he went through the Huanggang Checkpoint to Hong Kong on Sept. 2, according to a release by customs. An inspection found he was carrying 66 6-milliliter tubes containing blood.

    The tubes were packed in small bags, which also contained a piece of paper listing the name of the sample provider, the month of pregnancy and a statement indicating the provider’s consent for the test. Each pregnant woman provided two tubes of blood samples.

    Customs officers said results of the tests may be used by pregnant women to decide whether to have an abortion.

    Gender identification tests on unborn babies are banned on the Chinese mainland as a traditional preference for boys leads to selective abortions. Such tests are legal in Hong Kong. This has led to booming business for clinics in Hong Kong that are capable of identifying a fetus’ gender via blood test.

    The Hong Kong man told customs officers that he was paid to carry the blood samples to Sheung Shui in the northern part of the special administrative region (SAR). The case has been transferred to the quarantine authority for further investigation.

    Chinese law bans human blood from being imported or exported without permission.

    Luohu Customs said it intercepted 339 blood samples from expecting mothers in the second half of 2014. On March 9, Luohu Customs officers seized 146 tubes of blood samples from a Hong Kong woman traveling from Shenzhen to the SAR.

    (SD News)