Hong Kong Customs officers seized 23,000 litres of unmanifested marked oil, worth about $115,000, in an anti- smuggling operation last night (November 7).
About 11.45pm, Customs officers intercepted a departing local fishing vessel in the waters off Lung Kwu Tan for a search. As a result, they uncovered 23,000 litres of unmanifested marked oil inside the under-deck tanks of the vessel.
Two Mainland men, aged 40 and 51, were arrested. They will later be charged with "attempting to export unmanifested cargo".
A spokesman for the Customs and Excise Department today (November 8) stressed that the Department would continue its vigorous enforcement actions against cross-boundary smuggling activities.
Under the Import and Export Ordinance, any person found guilty of "attempting to export unmanifested cargo" is liable on conviction to a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years. The vessel involved will also be confiscated.
Ends/Thursday, November 8, 2007
