Capture 12 brown rats (picture)

The picture shows customs officers conducting boarding quarantine on offshore fishing boats. Photo by Li Jianyu

Recently, Rongcheng Customs under Qingdao Customs intercepted 12 brown rats.

During the boarding and quarantine process of an imported offshore fishing vessel, customs officers discovered bite marks and holes in the living area corridor. They immediately placed traps, traps, and other equipment on the vessel and requested the ship to organize sanitation measures. A total of 12 rodents were captured. After identification, all captured rodents were brown rats.

The rodents themselves and their pathogens can directly or indirectly spread serious infectious diseases such as pestis and epidemic hemorrhagic fever, posing a serious threat to human life and health. According to the Border Health and Quarantine Law of the People's Republic of China, if a vector organism related to human health is found on an inbound or outbound transportation vehicle, it shall undergo sanitary treatment and be subject to customs supervision. (Sun Weihang/Text)