After the set up of a new force in October, Hong Kong Customs cracked three cases of smuggling goods into the Mainland by sea within a month.
The Anti-Smuggling Strategic Action Force pools together resources from Intelligence Bureau, Special Task Force, and Marine Enforcement Group. It aims to strengthen Customs enforcement actions against smuggling activities, particularly syndicated activities, with a more strategic approach, mounting more effective intelligence-led operations on land and at sea.
This morning (November 23), Customs officers seized $14 million worth of goods including electronic products, and arrested nine men at Siu Lam.
On November 21, they netted $10 million worth of optical disks and six men at Lau Fau Shan.
On October 24 at Tuen Mun, Customs officers arrested seven men suspected to be involved in the smuggling of $12 million worth of electronic products.
Hosting a press conference today (November 23) were Head of Intelligence Bureau, Mr David Fong; Group Head of Special Task Force, Mr Lin Shun-yin; and Group Head (Marine Enforcement), Mr Albert Chan.
Hong Kong Customs is committed to the crackdown on smuggling activities. Under the Import and Export Ordinance, smuggling is a serious offence. The maximum penalty is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.
Ends/Friday, November 23, 2007
