Hong Kong Customs yesterday (April 18) detected a smuggling case at the Shenzhen Bay Control Point and seized a large batch of unmanifested cargo valued at about $11 million on board an inbound lorry. It was the largest smuggling case at the land boundary control points in two years.
At about 7am yesterday, Customs officers mounted an anti-smuggling operation at Shenzhen Bay Control Point and intercepted an incoming lorry declared as carrying connectors, clothing and wires on board for examination. Upon inspection, Customs officers found in the innermost part of the cargo compartment 331 cartons of unmanifested goods, including 60 000 sets of electronic cigarettes and cartridges, 15 000 tablets and 10 000 boxes of suspected virility drugs and health products, with a total value of about $11 million. The 55-year-old male driver was arrested for committing an offence of "importing unmanifested cargo". The investigation is ongoing.
Hong Kong Customs will continue to carry out stringent enforcement against smuggling activities at control points.
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.
Members of the public are urged to report any suspected smuggling activities to the Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182.
Ends/Friday, April 19 2013
