Overview
Tong Ren Tang Tiger Bone Wine: Identification and Hong Kong Controlled-Species Information: name identification and Hong Kong regulatory information
A name does not prove the contents
The wording ‘tiger bone wine’ and any brand name are clues from the packaging or page title only. Text, photographs and old labels cannot establish whether the contents include tiger bone. Do not open, taste, sample or test the item. Keep the original container, labels and documents unchanged.
Note any conflict between the name, labels, provenance documents and container details. Do not make your own determination about authenticity, ingredients or permit status. AFCD states that an article claiming to be an endangered species, or a medicine claiming to contain a highly endangered animal species, is treated as a controlled article even if the claim is false. The competent authority must assess the item and documents and decide which controls apply.
Hong Kong regulatory information
The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department states that the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance (Cap. 586) regulates the import, introduction from the sea, export, re-export and possession of scheduled species. Commercial trade in medicines containing wild-sourced Appendix I species, including tiger bone, is prohibited. Any limited exception is subject to the applicable CITES and permit requirements.
This is a summary of official information, not a legal determination for an individual item. Requirements may differ with the source, age, documents and permit history, so contact the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department through an official channel.
What to do now
- Stop any purchase, transfer, opening, tasting or disposal of the item.
- Keep the container, labels, seal and any provenance or permit documents unchanged.
- Do not move the item elsewhere for handover. Use an official government channel to describe its name, current location and available documents.
- Provide information and arrange any follow-up handling only as directed by the competent authority.
Official Hong Kong information and contacts
- AFCD: medicines containing ingredients from endangered species
- AFCD: Cap. 586 and permit requirements
- 1823 government contact service
When contacting the authorities, quote the page name ‘Tong Ren Tang Tiger Bone Wine: Identification and Hong Kong Controlled-Species Information’ and describe the documents you hold. Do not arrange a purchase or transfer through an ordinary product enquiry channel. Follow the authority’s latest case-specific instructions.