United Parcel Service (UPS) has denied claims that it ships endangered and protected shark fins to Hong Kong after protests outside its Lai Chi Kok customer service centre on Saturday.
Local activists from WildAid Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Shark Foundation are calling on the company to stop all supposed shark-fin shipments.
A global petition with 160,000 signatures was handed to the company by Shark Foundation head Mary Szeto this weekend.
According to WilAid, two air cargo shipments in December 2014 and February 2015 amounting to almost one tonne of shark fin were shipped by UPS from Costa Rica to Hong Kong.
WildAid also posted a photo on their Twitter page which seemingly shows a receipt for the alleged shipments, which they claim are in violation of the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna.
The Hong Kong demonstration made up part of co-ordinated protests also seen at UPS locations in Costa Rica, the United States, Germany, Singapore and Australia, reports HKFP.
A UPS spokesman said claims that the company has shipped endangered shark fins are false and that they will seek remedies if the allegations wind up tarnishing the brand’s reputation.
“UPS strongly denies allegations made by organisations suggesting UPS has shipped hammerhead shark fins,” the spokesman said, according to the SCMP.
He did not confirm or deny, however, if the company has delivered fins from other shark species.
You can’t go wrong with the “neither confirm or deny” defence. That always makes you look innocent.
Photo: Allie_Caulifield via Flickr
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