A female passenger was sentenced to six weeks' imprisonment and a fine of $2,000 at West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (May 14) for possession of illicit heat-not-burn (HNB) products, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO).
Customs officers intercepted the 36-year-old incoming female passenger at Hong Kong International Airport on March 31 and seized about 26 000 illicit HNB products with an estimated market value of about $75,000 and a duty potential of about $50,000 from her personal baggage.
From January and March 2019, seven incoming passengers who carried quantities of HNB products in excess of duty-free concession and failed to declare to Customs Officers were sentenced to four months' imprisonment and fines from $1,000 and $40,000.
Customs reminds members of the public that under the DCO, tobacco products are dutiable goods to which DCO applies. Any HNB products containing tobacco in content is also dutiable goods subject to the control of DCO. Any person who possesses, sells or buys dutiable commodities without a valid license commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for two years.
Members of the public may call the Customs' hotline 2815 7711 regarding whether specific tobacco or a smoking product is under the regulation of DCO. They may also report any suspected illicit cigarette activities to the Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).
Ends/Tuesday, May 14, 2019