Hong Kong Customs yesterday (July 8) seized about 120 000 suspected illicit cigarettes, 72 litres of suspected duty-not-paid liquor and a batch of suspected smuggled food and electronic products with an estimated market value of about $600,000 in total and a duty potential of about $240,000 at the Kwai Chung Customhouse Cargo Examination Compound.
Through risk assessment, Customs officers inspected a container arriving in Hong Kong from Xiamen, Fujian declared to be carrying clothes and tissue paper. Upon inspection, Customs officers found the batch of suspected duty-not-paid and smuggled goods in the container.
Investigation is ongoing.
Smuggling is a serious offence. Under the Import and Export Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing or exporting unmanifested cargo is liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.
Under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, anyone involved in dealing with, possession of, selling or buying illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for two years.
Members of the public may report any suspected illicit tobacco and smuggling activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).
Ends/Tuesday, July 9, 2019
