Prohibited Articles

Subject to certain conditions stipulated by the Trade and Industry Department (TID), shipping companies, transportation companies, airline companies and their appointed agents who are registered with the Department under the Transhipment Cargo Exemption Scheme are exempted from the import and export licensing requirements in respect of the following types of transhipment cargoes:

• pharmaceutical products and medicines as defined by Section 2 of the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance, Chapter 138, except dangerous drugs as defined by Section 2 of the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, Chapter 134, Laws of Hong Kong;
• rice as specified in the Schedule to the Reserved Commodities (Control of Imports, Exports and Reserve Stocks) Regulations, Chapter 296A, Laws of Hong Kong;
• frozen or chilled meat and poultry as specified in Part I of the First Schedule to the Import and Export (General) Regulations, Chapter 60A, Laws of Hong Kong;
• chinese herbal medicines and proprietary Chinese medicines as specified in Part I of the First Schedule and Part I of the Second Schedule to the Import and Export (General) Regulations, Chapter 60A, Laws of Hong Kong;
• rough diamonds as specified in Part I of the First Schedule and Part I of the Second Schedule to the Import and Export (General) Regulations, Chapter 60A, Laws of Hong Kong; and
• powdered formula as specified in Part I of the Second Schedule to the Import and Export (General) Regulations, Chapter 60A, Laws of Hong Kong.

Enquiries

In general, prohibited articles are exempted from obtaining import or export licences if they are passing through the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region without leaving the importing conveyance except certain strategic commodities e.g. nuclear materials and facilities, chemicals or biological weapons.

For dangerous drugs in transit, a valid export authorization or diversion certificate is required.

For specimens of endangered species, a valid document issued by a relevant authority of the exporting country is required.

For details, please see "Prohibited Articles".

Subject to certain conditions stipulated in the respective ordinances, some prohibited goods in air transhipment are exempted from import / export controls. Examples include:

• dutiable commodities such as alcoholic liquor and tobacco;
• radio communication transmitting apparatus;
• pharmaceutical products and medicines;
• optic disc mastering and replication equipment;
• rice;
• pesticides;
• food materials such as colouring matter and preservatives;
• meat and animal products;
• smokeless tobacco products;
• ozone depleting substances;
• powdered formula ;
• toothfish items;
• mercury; and
• alternative smoking products.

Enquiries on the exemptions can be made to the respective Government departments. (See "Prohibited Articles")